Putting lives at risk - as if fishing wasn't dangerous enough

The RNLI is a jewel in the UK crown - a hugely successful and unrivalled rescue service - a model of good practice and the envy of seafaring nations the world over. Despite doing the world's most dangerous job in the first instance, active and retired fishermen often make up the bulk of a lifeboat's crew - they bring unparallelled local knowledge and seafaring skills to the operation. This week, a few yards off shore and in the entrance to Penzance dock both Penlee lifeboats rescued a yacht with three people on board - in a rescue that should never have happened.

Under normal circumstances you would accept that a yacht had found itself in difficulties when on passage and caught out by a rapidly deteriorating forecast which then necessitated a rescue call. However, if the newspaper report is to be beleived, this is a rescue that should not have happened. 

The boat left  the safety of Penzance Harbour bound for Weston-Super-Mare that morning when, allegedly, the cause of the rescue was down to one of the crew being so seasick that the boat was forced to return to port. Given that the forecast was, and had been giving southerly gales and worse and that all but the biggest fishing boats in Newlyn's fleet were already safely tied up in port you have to question the sanity of a yacht even contemplating sailing in such conditions - they crew were obvioulsy not hardened sailors - hardened sailors don't get seasick - and if they do, their boat isn't going to return to port!

The AIS track of the Ivan Ellen which stood by the Paul Alexander as she rescued the yacht from the entrance to Penzance Harbour.

In the end the Atlantic class inshore lifeboat. Paul Alexander found itself partially disabled owing to the conditions and the crew having to deal with what turned out to be a tricky rescue.

Let's hope the yacht sees fit to make a huge donation to the RNLI by way of apology and some recompence - not that this would have been any consoloation should the rescue turned into a disaster - for either party.

Here's the report from the RNLI with comments from Patch Harvey, cox of the Ivan Ellen who quite rightly pointed out that his boat was safely tied up in the harbour at Newlyn at the time - as should all those boats unable to deal with the very poor conditions!

"The volunteers of the Penlee RNLI inshore lifeboat faced a six metre swell and a southerly gale this morning (Wednesday 17 October) as they attempted to rescue a yacht crew who had gone aground in the entrance to Penzance Harbour.

The three people onboard the 30ft yacht left Penzance this morning, bound for Weston-super-Mare but when one of them because very seasick they headed back towards the port. However, with a huge swell running in to the harbour the yacht went aground as they made their approach and rolled on to her side.  

The RNLI volunteers managed to get a rope on to the bow of the yacht despite the lifeboat being swamped by the massive seas several times. At one stage they lost power to one of the outboard engines, but fortunately managed to restart it within 15 minutes.

Patch Harvey, RNLI Coxswain at Penlee, says the crew volunteers did a brilliant job:

‘Despite loosing an engine and getting swamped time and time again the three crew managed to keep hold of the yacht until just after low water when she began to float and they were able to pull her away and tow her out to the all-weather lifeboat (Ivan Ellen). They then took the boat to Newlyn where using both lifeboats, we managed to steer the yacht through the narrow entrance and on to a safe berth.

‘I would remind people to listen carefully to the weather forecast before setting out. Today there are warnings of southerly force eight winds that are likely to increase and there’s already a rough sea in the bay. I’d like to keep the lifeboat safety moored up at times like this and hope other sea goers feel the same way.'"

Nuff said Patch.