A couple whose boat is also their home have been brought to safety – before volunteers returned in their own time to help save the vessel – during a busy day for Cowes RNLI, which also saw an injured sailor rescued in rough seas.
Cowes RNLI volunteers responded to 2 incidents just 12 hours apart yesterday, (Tuesday), working alongside Yarmouth RNLI, HM Coastguard and local harbour organisations.
The first shout came at 04:50, when pagers sounded following reports of a vessel with 2 people onboard which had run aground in Osborne Bay.
The couple had anchored overnight, but the anchor dragged, and the wind pushed their vessel towards the shore on a falling tide.
They were carrying the necessary safety equipment and radios and were able to issue a Pan-Pan distress call and contact the Coastguard for assistance.
Cowes RNLI launched Sheena Louise and headed across to the stricken vessel.
After assessing the situation, volunteers decided that, with the tide continuing to fall, the safest option was to take the couple off their boat and return them to Cowes to await the rising tide.
It was then discovered that the grounded vessel was more than simply a boat to the couple – it was their home.
Later in the day, a number of off-duty Cowes RNLI volunteers returned to help recover it.
Working alongside Cowes Harbour Commission and UKSA, the team managed to refloat the vessel on the rising tide and sail it back to Cowes, where it could be checked for damage.
Cowes RNLI Helm Josh has said:
“The boat’s crew did the right thing today. They were well prepared, but unfortunately, conditions changed and they ended up close to shore.
“It was great work by our crew at Cowes getting them off to a place of safety. When we found out the vessel was their home, it felt only right to help them as much as we could.
“Thanks to all our off-duty crew at Cowes RNLI, the Cowes Harbour Commission, Cowes Harbour Master, and UKSA, for their help in getting the boat back afloat.”
It wasn’t the end of the day for the volunteer crew, with pagers sounding again at 17:45 following reports of a man onboard a 37ft yacht who had suffered a serious injury to his hand.
Cowes RNLI launched into rough seas, battling strong winds and rolling waves to reach the casualty.
Yarmouth RNLI and a search and rescue helicopter were also tasked, with a paramedic transferred onto the yacht to provide initial treatment.
When Cowes RNLI arrived, the injured sailor and paramedic were transferred onto the lifeboat and taken safely to Yarmouth Harbour.
They were met by Needles Coastguard Rescue Team, with the casualty handed into the care of a waiting ambulance.
Meanwhile, Yarmouth RNLI recovered the yacht safely into the harbour.
Cowes RNLI returned to station at 20:15, where the lifeboat was washed down and made ready for service following the volunteers’ second rescue of the day.
