Two engine trouble shouts in 24 hours for Yarmouth RNLI
Yarmouth RNLI crews were paged twice over the span of 24 hours this week to separate, but almost identical incidents during the two hottest days of the year so far, where both vessels had encountered engine difficulties.
On Tuesday 23 June Yarmouth RNLI’s first page from HM Coastguard came at 7:45pm to the reports of a potential engine fire onboard a 30ft motorboat 4.35 nautical miles northwest of the Needles Lighthouse.
RNLI crews assembled and made best speed to the location of the casualty vessel and arrived alongside just after 8:15pm and were met by Solent Rescue. A RNLI volunteer was transferred across to carry out an assessment of the situation and confirmed that all on board were safe, and that the engine had overheated causing the vessel to breakdown. The second engine was in a better state and deemed safe to use with Yarmouth RNLI shadowing the passage back towards Lymington Harbour.
Yarmouth RNLI returned to her berth and was marked as ready for service just before 10:30pm.
The second call came just after 11:15am on Wednesday 24 June which saw Yarmouth RNLI tasked by HM Coastguard to assist a ten-metre motor yacht off Christchurch with two persons on board whose engine had overheated to which point, smoke had started emanating from compartments of the vessel.
The all-weather RNLI lifeboat launched at 11:30am and arrived on scene just before midday to the casualties last known location and transferred two RNLI crew onboard to assess the situation and determined that the engine that controlled the steering had failed. It was then deemed safe to motor using the remaining engine with the lifeboat escorting alongside, keeping the two RNLI crew onboard until reaching the entrance of Poole Harbour.
Yarmouth RNLI then began passage back to her berth in Yarmouth Harbour and after post recovery checks were marked as ready for service just after 2pm.
Mechanical failure is the single biggest cause of rescue call outs to sailing vessels and motorboats, accounting for nearly 20% of all our lifeboat launches.
The RNLI have put together some great tips and a downloadable engine safety checklist that can be found using this link - Yacht Sailing And Motorboating - Boating Safety Advice From The RNLI
Further safety checklists when out at sea include:
- Always wear an appropriate lifejacket.
- Always carry a means of calling and signalling for help.
- Ensure there is an emergency action plan in place, and everybody has an onboard briefing (in particular on the location and use of the safety equipment, including the spare kill cord for powerboats).
- Get the right level of training for your craft.
- Always check the weather and tide times.
- Make sure someone ashore knows where you are going and who to call if you don't return on time.
- Always drive your boat at a speed that is appropriate to the weather conditions and to the environment you are operating in.
Notes to editors
- Images include 17-25 Eric and Susan Hiscock (Wanderer) near Hurst Castle taken by Stephen Duncombe and an image of a pod of dolphins who swam and played in the wash of the lifeboat on their passage back to their berth on Wednesday 24 June.
- Yarmouth RNLI Lifeboat 17-25 Eric and Susan Hiscock (Wanderer) came into service in 2001, prior to that Yarmouth RNLI had an Arun Class Lifeboat 52-08 Joy and John Wade which was in service for 23 years.
- May 2026 marked Yarmouth Station's 102nd year in service.
RNLI Media Contacts
For further information, please contact:
Hebe Gregory-Pimm, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI South East, [email protected]
Jess Curtis, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for London and South East England, 07483 488243, [email protected]
Julie Rainey, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for London and South East England, 07827 358256, [email protected]
RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [email protected]
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,700 lives.
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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.