The volunteer crew of Yarmouth RNLI had a very busy day yesterday (Sunday) with 2 launches, each resulting in 2 separate incidents.
The first request to launch came in from Solent Coastguard at 13:45 in response to a Pan-Pan call from a sailing yacht competing in the Fastnet Race. The 39ft vessel ‘Harriet Marwood’ with 5 crew on board had run aground on the Shingle Bank to the west of the Shingles Elbow buoy. Once on scene the lifeboat crew launched the smaller Y-boat to assess the situation, but this was then quickly recovered as the lifeboat was tasked to another incident off The Needles, leaving Harriet Marwood under the supervision of Lymington RNLI.
The next shout was received at 14:24 and resulted in the Yarmouth All Weather Lifeboat (ALB) going to the assistance of the 40ft trimaran ‘TRILOGIC’, also taking part in the Fastnet and reported to be taking on water approximately 9 miles south of The Needles. Once on scene the Y-boat was launched and an RNLI crew member put aboard to assess the situation. The skipper and crew of ‘TRILOGIC’ were happy to monitor the water ingress and had means of pumping out the water plus a plan to sail to France for repair. The lifeboat was therefore stood down and returned to station at 16:10.
Just over 2 hours later the RNLI crew launched the lifeboat for a second time having been tasked by Solent Coastguard once again to assist the yacht ‘Harriet Marwood’, which was still aground and concerned about the increasing size of the waves. On arriving at the Shingles Bank, the lifeboat found that the stricken vessel had been washed clear of the bank by a big wave and was proceeding under her own power escorted by Lymington RNLI.
Whilst making the return journey to station, the Yarmouth RNLI lifeboat was tasked at 18:55 to proceed to a 32ft sailing yacht located half a nautical mile south of the entrance to Lymington River. It was reported that a crew member on board the yacht had sustained a head injury. 3 RNLI crew members were transferred aboard the yacht to assess the casualty who was stabilised and taken ashore to Lymington and an awaiting ambulance.
In between shouts yesterday afternoon, the Yarmouth RNLI Y-boat, manned by 2 volunteer crew, was also able to act as the safety boat during Yarmouth Carnival’s Decorated Dinghies competition.
