Lone Sailor Rescued from 99-Year-Old RNLI Lifeboat in Midnight Drama
A solo sailor was plucked to safety after sending a Mayday from a 99-year-old ex-RNLI lifeboat, sparking a tense rescue operation off the south coast.
Emergency Call Sparks Lifeboat Rescue
The UK Coastguard received a distress call stating the injured sailor couldn’t properly control his vessel. He first reported his position about five miles south of Chichester Harbour.
Bembridge Lifeboat, the nearest all-weather lifeboat (ALB), was scrambled but couldn’t find the boat. The sailor later admitted he was unsure of his exact location, believing he was further east.
Selsey Lifeboat was then called in to assist. Launching at 2.02am, Selsey’s crew quickly made contact and used Direction Finding (DF) equipment to zero in on the sailer’s position alongside Bembridge.
Teamwork Brings Sailor to Safety
With both lifeboats closing in, they reached the vessel at 2.18am. Weather conditions were favourable, with a southwest wind force 4 and moderate seas under clear skies.
Bembridge crew boarded the old vessel to check on the casualty, deciding to tow the historic lifeboat to Portsmouth Harbour. Meanwhile, Selsey’s ALB took the injured sailor to Sparkes Marina in Chichester Harbour, where Hayling Coastguard Rescue Team was waiting with an ambulance.
The casualty was moved onto Selsey ALB at 2.55am and reached the dock with emergency services standing by.
Historic Lifeboat With Grand Plans
The rescued vessel is a 60ft Barnett class lifeboat ON-682, built in 1923. It was the first of its kind with twin engines and twin propellers—cutting-edge for its day. ON-682 served at New Brighton from 1923 to 1950.
Its current owner dreams of sailing the historic craft all the way to South Africa.
Heroes Behind the Rescue
The Bembridge crew included Coxswain James Albrey, Mechanic Phil Pitham, Colin Pullenger, Will Moir, Max Wiseman, and Tim Scott.
Shore team members were Head Launcher Simon Hutt, SLARS Driver Chris Bowling, Richard Wiseman, Frank Corby, Mark Penny, and Richard Brady.
Selsey ALB returned to base by 4.48am, and Bembridge reached Portsmouth at 6.10am.
This dramatic rescue was a striking reminder of the RNLI’s brave legacy—rescuing lives, old and new.
