Portsmouth Harbour entrance temporarily blocked to allow for the recovery of a grounded 60ft yacht that had suffered engine failure
Portsmouth Harbour entrance was temporarily blocked to allow for the recovery of a grounded 60ft yacht that had suffered engine failure. RNLI Portsmouth Lifeboat was requested to launch this morning (Wednesday 22 November 2017 – 10:07) to reports of a 60ft Clipper Yacht that had run aground at Portsmouth harbour entrance. The yacht had suffered engine failure on approach and was caught by the strong wind and tide, pushing it across the harbour entrance and onto shore next to the Victoria pier at Hotwalls, Portsmouth harbour entrance. With people on-board and rough conditions the Atlantic 85 Lifeboat, Norma T, launched quickly and raced to the scene within 12 minutes. On arrival the Lifeboat was met by MOD Police Launch Sir Geoffrey Rackham and two larger commercial vessels which had already established a towline and was starting to ease the yacht free. Blocking the busy harbour and reversing into the conditions, Windfarm supply vessel, The Sure Pilgrim, was able to slowly drag the training yacht backwards away from the pier and into clear water until further assistance could be given. Portsmouth Lifeboat and the MOD Police Launch inspected the casualty yacht for signs of damage while commercial Tug Gaurdsman secured a bow line to better control yacht until Bembridge RNLI arrived on scene to take over and recover the vessel to Gosport marina. https:///youtu.be/tz3MgDteenc
