Disabled fishing vessel rescued
A Newlyn fishing vessel that had been hit by large waves that smashed a wheelhouse window and swamped the electronics called for help some 15 nautical miles north of the Isles of Scilly.
The conditions were challenging with a 6-metre swell and a force 9 north westerly, but the lifeboat arrived on-scene in about one hour.
The fishing vessel had five persons on board and apart from the navigation equipment, the electronic management system had also failed and the engine could only tick over and was in danger of failing altogether.
After a discussion with the skipper of the fishing vessel it was agreed that the lifeboat would escort the stricken vessel through the Traffic Separation Scheme towards Land's End, to be met by the Penlee lifeboat and then onwards towards Newlyn.
It was a very slow escort despite being largely downwind, and the duty was passed over to the Penlee lifeboat at around midnight.
The St. Mary's lifeboat then made her way back to the islands against a very heavy sea that slowed the progress almost to a halt at times, but arrived at St. Mary's harbour at 2 am when she was refuelled ready for service once more.
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