Cowes Lifeboat called to motorboat with no fuel
A 12m motor yacht found herself with no fuel off Egypt Point. She dropped her anchor and paid out all her 45m of chain but appeared to be dragging. A PAN PAN call to HM Coastguard lead to Cowes Lifeboat being launched at 01:40 this morning to assist. The motor yacht’s position meant the tide could push it into the busy main shipping channel. The lifeboat towed the motor yacht to the fuel barge on the River Medina and then placed it alongside. A skilled operation carried out very professionally by a trainee helm. The rescued crew could then wait for the barge to open later. Hopefully she can return to her home port of Portsmouth without further incident. 14 volunteer members of the station responded to the pager and by the time the lifeboat had been washed down and refuelled they could return home shortly before dawn broke.
