Bembridge RNLI came to the assistance of a 24ft yacht and would-be rescuers on Saturday after the boat run aground in Portsmouth Harbour.
‘Dream Catcher’, with one person on board, run aground whilst maneuvering along a channel inside Portsmouth Harbour and was initially assisted by two dinghies manned by three people. These dinghies, being unable to offer meaningful help in the prevailing weather conditions, resulted in the yacht, two dinghies and four persons requiring assistance.
Just before 16:30, the Bembridge RNLI Lifeboat “Alfred Albert Williams” was launched following a request from Solent Coastguard. The weather conditions at the time of the launch and inside of Portsmouth harbour were a gusting force 9 severe gale but in brilliant sunshine.
Arriving on scene the Lifeboat deployed its “Y” class lifeboat with two crew on board who, having ascertained the 4 persons on the yacht were ok, took a tow line from the lifeboat and made it fast to the yacht. Pulling the yacht free with the two dinghies all were towed to the Hardway Sailing Club pontoon close by to where the incident had occurred.
Having recovered the “Y” boat the lifeboat returned to Bembridge and was re-housed at 18:42.
The incident was the second for Bembridge in two days, having assisted a windsurfer in Sandown Bay.
