Dart RNLI volunteers in action on busy Saturday
A lively Saturday (May 31) for Dart RNLI volunteers as the sailing season gathers pace.
First up, at midday, the crew was tasked by HM Coastguard after reports of an engine room fire on board a 40-foot cruiser off Man Sands.
Helmed by Rich Eggleton, and crewed by Mark Conroy, Caleb Brown and Yorkie Lomas, the B Class Atlantic lifeboat raced to the incident, and discovered the yacht, with four on board, had suffered an overheated engine, was disabled and had become a navigational hazard.
The volunteers managed to fix a line, and the stricken vessel was towed into Dartmouth harbour entrance and handed over to Dart Harbour Authority.
The volunteer crew had just set foot back in the station on Coronation Park when a second alert came from HM Coastguard at 2pm.
The volunteers did a U-turn and climbed back on board to head for Blackstone Point, where another 40-foot cruiser had broken down, and was close to rocks. A line was fixed and the vessel towed back to Dartmouth and the Dart Harbour Authority.
Helm Rich said: ‘It was a busy day and we are always ready to respond when there is navigational danger, or in the second shout a tow was the only way of rescuing the boat with rocks close by.
‘It is always better to be safe and alert the Coastguard when there is a threat to your own safety, or that of others.’
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.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.