Double trouble on the seas sparked 2 call outs for the crew of Bembridge RNLI earlier today (Saturday).
The All Weather Lifeboat (ALB) was launched at around 11:40 this morning in response to a Pan Pan call from Celidh Mohr, a 35ft sailing yacht with 2 crew onboard that had developed steering problems around 3 miles north of the Offshore Boathouse.
Once launched it didn’t take long for the lifeboat to reach the Celidh Mohr and establish a tow back to her home port of Chichester on the other side of the Solent.
Arrangements were made for Hayling Rescue to meet them at the entrance of the harbour and after recovering the drogue anchor that had been deployed to keep the Celidh Mohr in a straight line behind the lifeboat, Hayling Rescue took over the tow for the final leg back to her mooring just inside the harbour entrance.
Whilst on their way back to Bembridge, the RNLI volunteers received a second tasking at around 13:10 requesting that the D-Class inshore lifeboat (ILB) be launched to assist the 20ft open powerboat ‘Bene’ with 5 people onboard that had broken down just off Forelands.
However, prior to ILB being launched it was decided to re-task the All Weather Lifeboat instead as she was, by that time, not far away.
Bembridge Lifeboat arrived on scene at the same time as a passing RIB ‘Water Pistol’, which kindly agreed to tow ‘Bene’ back to Bembridge as the lifeboat would have been unable to with the rapidly falling tide.
Having escorted them until they were clear of the Bembridge Ledge, Bembridge ALB then returned to the Boathouse and was recovered by 14:30.
