UPDATED: Bembridge RNLI have been tasked to assist a lone sailor suffering from fatigue some 14 miles off the coast of the Isle of Wight this morning (Tuesday).
The All Weather Lifeboat from Bembridge is currently making waves to the position of a 36ft yacht, whose skipper has reported to HM Coastguard that he is fatiqued and unable to make headway at just gone 01:00.
The lifeboat and her volunteer crew are set to rendezvous with the exhausted sailor before attaching a tow line and taking the yacht – named Miss Amelia – to a port of safety.
This latest incident marks a total of 3 shouts for the volunteer lifeboat crew in 6 hours following two previous inshore lifeboat launches.
UPDATE @ 07:24 – The lifeboat was rehoused at around 07:00 with all crew returning safely. The shout lasted some 6 hours.
It has been confirmed that the casualty yacht left Cherbourg at 06.30 yesterday morning and having been sailing for 18 hours, the yachtsman became fatigued after suffering from a mechanical breakdown.
On arrival on scene, Bembridge RNLI’s Y boat was launched with a mechanic transferred to the casualty vessel. Having checked the water cooling system over, the lifeboat crewmen managed to get the engine running and helped the skipper to motor towards Bembridge under her own power, with the All Weather Lifeboat escorting.
Once in the Solent, the yacht headed to Portsmouth.
