Bembridge Lifeboat launched to assist a 36ft yacht that was becalmed and engineless in the main shipping channel close to No Mans Land Fort this morning (Wednesday).
The ‘Alfred Albert Williams’ All Weather Lifeboat (ALB) launched down the slipway at just after 10:00 at the request of Solent Coastguard. Reports had been received that a lone skipper on board a 36ft steel ketch needed assistance as the vessel was becalmed and without a working engine.
Conditions were very benign so it didn’t take the lifeboat and its volunteer crew long to reach the yacht and ascertain that the engine failure was due to a snapped fuel filter.
Having carried out a dynamic risk assessment it was decided that the best option was to tow the yacht – which was transmitting from Brighton to Bournemouth – into Portsmouth.
After safely berthing her alongside at Endeavour Quay, Bembridge Lifeboat returned to Bembridge and was rehoused by 11:50.
