Selsey Lifeboat Station

Selsey Lifeboat Station - Launches

16th July 2020

Selsey RNLI Lifeboat Launched After Emergency Call from Yacht

The small yacht with two persons on board transmitted an emergency call reporting that they had suffered steering failure in a position 4.5 miles east of Selsey. The vessel was on passage from Newhaven to Gosport.

The UK Coastguard responded and requested the launch of the Selsey all-weather lifeboat (ALB). The ALB launched at 5.50 p.m. and made best speed to the yacht. The communication with the yacht was poor so the Coxswain decided to transfer a Lifeboat crewman to the yacht with a handheld radio. He also took some cable ties as the skipper reported that the tiller had broken and that he had tried unsuccessfully to repair it. The weather on scene was wind westerly force 2-3, sea state moderate in sunshine.

Once the crewman was on board the yacht he used the cable ties to strengthen the repairs to the tiller. With these completed a line was passed to the vessel and a tow was established before a course was set for Littlehampton Harbour. The entrance to Littlehampton was reached at 7.15 p.m. and once inside the harbour the yacht was brought alongside the Lifeboat before being safely berthed. The Littlehampton Coastguard team and the Littlehampton Lifeboat Operations Manager assisted with the berthing. The Lifeboat was released to return to the station at 7.45 p.m. arriving back at Selsey at 8.15 p.m. and was recovered straight away.

CREW: Rob Archibald (Coxswain), Colin Pullenger (2nd Coxswain), Andy Lee (Mechanic), James Albrey, Dan Langford, and Harry Emmence.