Volunteer members of Yarmouth RNLI were summoned at 17:29 today (Wednesday) in response to a call for help from a large sailing vessel, which had lost power approximately 2.5 nautical miles west south west of The Needles. The skipper of the former BT Global Challenge yacht ‘Elinca’ contacted Solent Coastguard to report that the vessel had no electrics, no engine and no anchor, which meant that she would not be able to safely continue her journey or return to harbour without assistance.
Yarmouth’s Severn class lifeboat escorted Elinca and her crew of 3 to Yarmouth whilst she was still under sail, then carried out an alongside tow to safely manoeuvre the 40 tonne vessel into the harbour.
The lifeboat and crew returned to station by 19:00.
The RNLI’s Swanage lifeboat assisted the same vessel into Poole harbour just 3 days ago under similar circumstances.
