A French yachtsman was dramatically airlifted to safety on Monday night after his mast snapped in a force 10 storm 42 miles south-southwest of Newlyn, Cornwall.
HM Coastguard received a distress signal from the solo sailor around 10:08pm and tasked both the Penlee and Lizard RNLI lifeboats to the scene. Conditions were reported as extremely hazardous, with westerly winds reaching force 10, six-meter swells, and rough seas with limited visibility due to squalls.
HM Coastguard received a distress signal from the solo sailor around 10:08pm and tasked both the Penlee and Lizard RNLI lifeboats to the scene. Conditions were reported as extremely hazardous, with westerly winds reaching force 10, six-meter swells, and rough seas with limited visibility due to squalls.
Thankfully, a Coastguard helicopter was able to reach the stricken vessel before the lifeboats arrived. The injured yachtsman had abandoned his dismasted yacht and jumped into the sea, allowing the helicopter crew to safely recover him despite the challenging conditions of dangling rigging. He was flown to the Royal Cornwall Hospital for a check-up, with his injuries not believed to be life-threatening.
The Penlee lifeboat, under the command of Coxswain Patch Harvey, was stood down after approximately 20 miles ploughing into heavy seas when news of the helicopter rescue was received. RNLI coxswain Patch Harvey said ‘The conditions were very poor especially for the helicopter crew who had to dodge flailing rigging but picked up the sailor after he had jumped into the sea to enable the rescue.’
The story from the Lizard station: Our crew pagers sounded at 9.42pm last night – Monday 8th April following a tasking request from Falmouth Coastguard. RNLB Rose launched shortly before 10.00pm to go to the assistance of a lone yachtsman whose emergency distress beacon had been triggered in a position of approximately 40 NM (nautical miles) south/south west of Lizard Point.
Under the command of Coxswain Dan Atkinson The Lizard Lifeboat proceeded to make her way to the position in extremely treacherous rough seas and at times with very limited visibility due to the squally showers and sea swell. The yachtsman’s vessel had become dismasted, had also suffered a damaged rudder and with the on scene sea conditions it was impossible for the casualty to proceed further.
Under the command of Coxswain Dan Atkinson The Lizard Lifeboat proceeded to make her way to the position in extremely treacherous rough seas and at times with very limited visibility due to the squally showers and sea swell. The yachtsman’s vessel had become dismasted, had also suffered a damaged rudder and with the on scene sea conditions it was impossible for the casualty to proceed further.
Coastguard Rescue Helicopter 924 was also tasked as were our colleagues from Penlee Lifeboat a short time later. After making headway to the yachts position it was confirmed that Rescue 924 had asked the sailor to enter the water thus enabling them to winch him to safety for an onward passage to hospital for medical assistance.
This allowed RNLB Rose and her crew along with Penlee Lifeboat to be stood down and return to station at 11.20pm. The lifeboat arrived back at Kilcobben Cove at 1.40am where she was rehoused, refuelled and by 2.00am was made ready for service again when required.
Earlier that day, the Penlee lifeboat had also been tasked to assist a 30ft catamaran with one person and a dog onboard experiencing difficulty entering Penzance harbour in rough seas with a south-easterly gale. Thankfully, the catamaran was able to reach the harbour safely, and the lifeboat returned to its station.
