Sennen RNLI tows disabled yacht to Newlyn after eight-hour rescue

Picture this. You’re alone on a 32 foot yacht, two miles south west of the Longships lighthouse, your mainsail is out of control, your propeller is fouled, you’re being violently seasick, and you’re drifting straight towards one of the busiest shipping lanes in British waters. Your VHF radio doesn’t work. It’s nearly midnight.

That was the situation facing one sailor late on Tuesday night, sparking a rescue that would take almost eight hours and involve an RNLI lifeboat, a coastguard helicopter and a passenger ferry.

A 999 call from the dark

Sennen Cove RNLI volunteers were tasked by HM Coastguard Falmouth at 11.46pm on Tuesday 12th May after the lone occupant of the yacht dialled 999. He told the coastguard he had lost control of his mainsail, fouled the propeller, was suffering from seasickness and was disorientated.

The Tamar class all-weather lifeboat City of London III launched under the command of Coxswain Nick Hichens with a total of six crew aboard.

When they arrived on scene the yacht was drifting towards the Land’s End traffic separation scheme, the shipping route that funnels commercial traffic around the tip of Cornwall. With no working VHF on the yacht, every message had to be relayed through HM Coastguard by mobile phone.

A risky approach

Nick made the call that towing the yacht to the nearest safe port was the best option, both for the casualty and to keep him clear of passing shipping.

The sailor told the coastguard he could not come up on deck to help connect a tow. Loose ropes were trailing in the water, the sea conditions were poor, and the RNLI volunteers judged it too dangerous to put a crew member aboard at that point in case they got snagged and became casualties themselves.

HM Coastguard then called in helicopter support to check on the sailor and try to transfer a crew member across to attach a tow. The rescue helicopter assessed the situation but could not winch anyone down because of the conditions and the jammed mainsail.

With options narrowing, HM Coastguard asked the passenger ferry Norbay, which was passing through the Land’s End traffic separation scheme, to come over and provide a wind shadow for the lifeboat and yacht while another transfer was attempted.

On board at last

While the ferry was making its way over, the lifeboat crew tried again to go alongside.

After almost two and a half hours on scene in challenging conditions, the lifeboat finally managed to put RNLI volunteer George Williams aboard the yacht to check on the casualty and rig a tow.

The Norbay and the coastguard helicopter were stood down, and the tow to Newlyn began.

Steady progress was made through the early hours and the lifeboat and the yacht reached Newlyn at around 6.20am. Once the yacht was secured in the harbour and the sailor was confirmed safe and well, the volunteers made the passage back to station.

The City of London III arrived back at Sennen around 7.40am on 13th May, was recovered up the long slip, and made ready for service.

📷Sennen Cove Tamar class lifeboat - Credit: RNLI/Timothy Stevens