Dungeness RNLI is urging sailors to be properly equipped for the weather conditions after it rescued two people from a yacht which had blown out sails and no fuel.
Sailors are being warned to be properly prepared for the weather conditions after a rescue by Dungeness RNLI.
The volunteer crew of the 1302 lifeboat, The Morrell, rescued two people from a 21-foot yacht which had sails blown out and no fuel.
The vessel got into difficulty while on passage from Yarmouth to Plymouth.
The yacht’s sails were blown out in force 6 easterly winds, and the crew were left stranded in a two metre swell without any fuel.
The skipper of the stricken boat contacted the Dover Coastguard, which scrambled the Dungeness RNLI crew at just after 4pm on 5 October 2016.
On arrival at the scene, one of the lifeboat’s crew was put onboard, and it was decided to transfer one of the yacht’s crew to The Morrell.
A tow was then established by Dungeness RNLI.
On nearing Hastings, the Hastings Mersey class lifeboat with its volunteer crew was launched to rendezvouse with Dungeness RNLI and take the tow onwards to Eastbourne.
Coxswain Stuart Adams from Dungeness RNLI has this warning for sailors.
“This vessel was not equipped for the weather conditions,” he stated.
“Any vessel putting to sea should have the appropriate lifesaving equipment aboard and get an updated weather forecast before leaving,” stressed the coxswain.
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