Lone sailor taken off stricken yacht on rocks near The Lizard

The yacht had no power, water was getting in, and it was pinned hard against the rocks below the cliffs. Its only sailor had already sent out a Mayday. And his lifejacket was off.

Crew from The Lizard RNLI Lifeboat Station reached him on Tuesday afternoon (20 October) and took him off the boat between the swells.

A vague position and a six-minute search

The crew’s pagers went off at 2.42pm after an immediate launch request from Falmouth Coastguard. A Mayday had come in from a yacht with one person on board, reporting it had hit rocks somewhere between Cadgwith and Coverack. The position was vague.

Under the command of duty Coxswain Andrew Putt, the lifeboat RNLB Rose launched at 2.53pm and headed for an updated position just west of Black Head.

Six minutes after launching, the crew spotted the yacht. It was tight up against the rocks and showing signs of severe damage. It was later confirmed to be taking on water.

📷The Y-boat crew near RNLB Rose, with the stricken yacht on the rocks behind. Credit: The Lizard RNLI

Taking him off between the swells

The lifeboat’s smaller Y-boat was quickly made ready and two crew members went across in it, approaching with caution because of the moderate sea conditions.

Once they had assessed the scene, the crew told the sailor to get ready to be taken off by moving along the side deck to the middle of the yacht. Keeping a close eye on the sea state, the crew and the sailor picked the safest moment between swells to come in and get him off the badly damaged boat.

He was taken back to RNLB Rose and given a precautionary check. He did not need any further medical help.

The view from the clifftop

The Porthoustock Coastguard Rescue Team was also paged to the incident and got as close as it could from land.

The team said a cliff approach would have been very challenging at that spot, and that it was very grateful its colleagues at the lifeboat station were able to complete the rescue from the sea.

Back at the station

RNLB Rose left the scene at 3.21pm and arrived back at the station on The Lizard a short time later. By 3.48pm she had been rehoused and made ready for her next call.

Inside the station, the sailor was checked over again and given a warm drink before leaving to make his way home. The crew described him as very thankful.

The lifejacket he’d taken off

Before he was rescued, the sailor had taken his lifejacket off because he was feeling a little hot in it.

The Lizard RNLI’s advice is to always wear a suitable lifejacket when on or near the water. A lifejacket keeps a person afloat, helps them conserve energy and can significantly increase their chances of survival in an emergency, the station said.

With no power, a very dangerous position on the rocks and the yacht in serious danger of sinking, the station said the swift and professional response from its crews saved the lone sailor’s life. It thanked everyone who answered their pagers.

As for the yacht itself, the station says it will have nothing further to report.

📷The stricken yacht against the rocks just west of Black Head. Credit: The Lizard RNLI