Crabber towed to Newlyn after engine failure in south-easterly gale-force winds.

 

On 2 March 2026 at 5:30am, Falmouth Coastguard requested Penlee RNLI's assistance in recovering an 18-metre fishing vessel with six crew. The casualty had suffered engine failure 20 miles north of the Isles of Scilly around 10:30pm the previous night. St Mary’s RNLI were tasked and had launched their Severn Class lifeboat ‘The Whiteheads’ arriving on the scene just after midnight. However, the weather was poor with a southerly force 7-8, rough seas and a 5-metre swell. Other vessels offered help, but after assessment of the conditions, St Mary’s Lifeboat coxswain decided the safest option was to tow the vessel to Newlyn, the nearest safe haven. Penlee’s all-weather lifeboat ‘Ivan Ellen’, under the command of Coxswain Patch Harvey and with six RNLI volunteers, slipped the moorings at 5:45am and headed towards the rendezvous point northeast of Wolf Rock. After a long and uncomfortable tow by the St Mary’s lifeboat, their line was dropped at 7:15am, and they returned to the Islands. Penlee then handed over their towing rope and bridles to the fishing vessel and began towing at 7:30am.

Despite the challenging conditions, both ‘Ivan Ellen’ and the casualty arrived safely in Newlyn Harbour at 11:15am. After more than five hours at sea, the Penlee Lifeboat was refuelled, washed down and prepared for service.