Barrow lifeboat called to rescue yacht crew
The volunteer crew from Barrow RNLI launched their inshore lifeboat in the early hours of Sunday to go to the aid of the crew of a yacht in Walney Channel
The request for assistance was received from HM Coastguard at 11.52pm on Saturday (30th August). The information received was that there was concern for the wellbeing of three people on board a 26-foot (7.9-metre) yacht located in Walney Channel, north of Jubilee Bridge.
The crew was paged and the inshore lifeboat, Raymond and Dorothy Billingham, was launched at 0.11am (Sunday) with Adam Cleasby at the helm supported by crew, Saul Tomlin and Nic Johnson.
The lifeboat headed north along Walney Channel and by 0.28am it was alongside the casualty vessel in a position about 60 metres north of Jubilee Bridge. The three people on board had earlier walked out to the yacht at low water but were unable to get back ashore due to the deteriorating weather conditions and the higher than expected tide level. They were given lifejackets and transferred from the yacht to the lifeboat which took them the short distance to the Ferry Pitchings where they were passed into the care of the Furness Coastguard Team.
With the casualties safely ashore, the lifeboat returned to the boathouse shortly before 1.00am where it was washed down and made ready for the next launch.
Chris Clouter, Barrow RNLI Press Officer, commented ‘This was another successful rescue carried out in challenging conditions by our team of highly trained volunteers. For those venturing out on the water, it is vitally important to be aware of the weather conditions and ensure that you are fully equipped to deal with emergency situations that may arise.’
The weather at the time of the incident was poor with a strong Force 6 – 7 south-westerly wind. The next high tide was due at 4.39am with a predicted height of 7.4 metres.
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,700 lives.
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