Double ‘Shout’ for Eastbourne Lifeboat
Whilst on service to a charter angling vessel which had become entangled in an anchor rope, Eastbourne lifeboat was alerted to another incident involving a yacht in difficulties off Sovereign Harbour.
Eastbourne all-weather lifeboat was launched at 2.15pm this afternoon (Sat. 16th Oct) at the request of Dover Coastguard after they had been contacted by a charter angling boat with 14 persons on board two miles offshore from Sovereign Harbour. The boat’s propeller had become fouled and they were unable to make way in the choppy sea conditions, the tide was flooding in a brisk 26 knot wind. Once on scene the volunteer crew rigged a towline and began the tow back to harbour.
As the lifeboat approached the harbour entrance with the first casualty under tow the crew were alerted by a passing sportsboat to a single handed yachtsman who was attempting to cope with a problem with his engine and was in danger of being swept onto a submerged wreck just outside the channel. The yachtsman was unable to call for assistance himself because his VHF radio was non-functional. He was however, able to deploy his anchor which prevented a more serious problem from developing. Lifeboat coxswain Mark Sawyer was forced to quickly deposit the angling vessel in the harbour lock and steam back out to sea to assist the yacht. Volunteer crewmembers Guy Emery and Dave Needham were transferred to the casualty vessel and prepared a towline. The anchor was recovered and the yacht was towed to the safety of the harbour where it was met by a local Coastguard officer who offered safety advice to the skipper.