Yacht with injured crew member towed to safety
For the second time in one afternoon, the volunteer crew of St. Mary's lifeboat went to the rescue of a yacht.
The small yacht with two people on board was struggling in strong winds several miles south of St. Agnes. One crew member had a cut leg and the other was finding it difficult to control the yacht and make for a safe mooring before dark.
The position of the casualty was only an estimate, so the volunteer crew of the lifeboat, led by coxswain Peter Hicks, used radar and binoculars to locate the vessel.
Once on the scene, the crew were informed that the deep cut to the shin had been dressed and was assessed as OK, but they had engine problems and were struggling to drop the sails.
The lifeboat then put two crew members on board to help getting the sails down and to establish a tow. The yacht was then towed to a sheltered bay as there were no available moorings in St. Mary's harbour. The vessel was placed on anchor and an engineer called to address the problems with their engine.
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity 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 142,700 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.