Barrow lifeboat responds to Mayday call from fishing vessel

The tasking request was received from HM Coastguard in Holyhead at 2.46pm. The information received was that a 17-foot (5.2-metre) fishing vessel with two crew on board was taking on water and had issued the distress call. The vessel’s position was given as one mile south of Walney Lighthouse.

The crew was paged and the all-weather lifeboat, Grace Dixon, was launched at 3.10pm. The lifeboat, which was under the command of Coxswain, Shaun Charnley, supported by a crew of six, was alongside the casualty within ten minutes of launching. The casualty had a bilge pump running and by proceeding at a slow speed the fishing vessel was able to limit the amount of water it was taking on board. It was agreed that the lifeboat would follow the casualty back to the safety of the Ferry Pitchings in Walney Channel. The Coastguard rescue helicopter, which had also been tasked to attend, was stood down.

The fishing vessel reached the Ferry Pitchings at 4.15pm with the lifeboat maintaining a position south of Jubilee Bridge until the casualty was safe and handed over to the team from Furness Coastguard on the shore.

With the casualty vessel and crew safe, the lifeboat returned to the Boathouse where it was re-housed by the waiting shore crew and made ready for the next launch.

The weather at the time of the incident was good and the wind was westerly, Force 3. The high tide had passed at 1.36pm with a predicted height of 9.3m

RNLI Media Contacts

For further information, please contact:

Chris Clouter, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for Barrow RNLI, [email protected]

Claire Fitzpatrick-Smith, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Wales, West of England and Isle of Man, 07977 728 315, [email protected]

Danielle Rush, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for Wales, West of England and Isle of Man, 07786 668829, [email protected]

RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [email protected]

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