Early hours call-out for Lerwick Lifeboat crew
THE LERWICK Lifeboat crew were called out overnight to attend to reports of a mast snapping on a yacht.
The Dutch yacht, with six people on board, had left Lerwick yesterday afternoon (Friday), heading south east across the North Sea.
After the yacht made contact with the coastguard, the Lerwick Lifeboat crew were paged at 3.36am and had launched the lifeboat by 4am.
Making good speed in calm seas the lifeboat crew reached the stricken vessel just after 5am, around the time of sunrise.
Two lifeboat crew were put aboard the vessel to assist the crew of the yacht to secure the broken mast, and to cut loose rigging and sails.
Once the vessel was made safe, the skipper of the yacht began the return voyage to Lerwick Harbour under engine power, with the lifeboat standing by to provide an escort.
The two lifeboat crew stayed aboard the yacht in case any further assistance was needed.
The lifeboat and yacht made steady progress at around five to six knots, reaching Lerwick harbour just before 1pm.
The yacht berthed safely on a pontoon at Victoria Pier and the lifeboat was then refuelled and made ready for her next service.
Lerwick Lifeboat coxswain Stephen Manson said: “Seeing the main mast fail must have been a difficult situation for the crew of this yacht to experience.
“They are fortunate that no one was injured and that the hull of the vessel appears largely undamaged.
“The skipper did the right thing by contacting the Coastguard when they needed assistance. We’re glad to see the crew safely in harbour now, to carry out repairs to their vessel before they set off again.”
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