Yarmouth Lifeboat Rescues Stranded Yacht 25 Miles Off Isle of Wight
Midnight Mayday: Yacht Loses Power at Sea
At 10.48pm on Friday 27 August 2021, Yarmouth’s Severn class all-weather lifeboat, Eric and Susan Hiscock (Wanderer), was scrambled by HM Coastguard. The mission: locate a 45ft sailing yacht stranded 25 miles south of St Catherine’s Point. The vessel had lost power and was adrift in a dangerous shipping area with three people onboard.
Struggling Against the Tide and Dying Batteries
With only light winds and a strong spring tide against them, the yacht’s crew battled to make headway under sail for hours. Worried about fading battery life powering crucial navigational lights and GPS, the call for help was critical.
All-Night Escort to Safety
Yarmouth’s RNLI crew found the yacht and, after assessing the situation, confirmed everyone was safe. The lifeboat stayed by the vessel’s side all night, escorting it slowly north towards the Isle of Wight as the wind picked up. By dawn, the yacht sailed safely on its own again in daylight.
The lifeboat was back in harbour after an eight-hour mission, ready for action again by 7am.
RNLI: Lifesaving Depends on You
The RNLI remains a fully independent charity, relying on your voluntary donations to keep saving lives at sea.
