Our Atlantic 85 lifeboat ‘Rose Of The Shires’ was launched on service at 4.34pm on Sunday following a report a motor cruiser had hit an underwater object, between Porthcawl and Lynmouth.
The RNLI Ilfracombe Shannon class lifeboat ‘The Barry and Peggy High Foundation’ was also launched and both lifeboats made best speed towards Lynmouth in good conditions searching for the casualty vessel whilst making way. Our Atlantic 85 was first on scene and placed a crew member onboard the casualty vessel to assess the situation. Initially the bilge pumps of the casualty vessel were coping with water ingress and our pump was not required, however as the Ilfracombe Shannon lifeboat arrived on scene it became evident the water ingress had increased significantly.
Two crew from the Ilfracombe lifeboat wearing PPE boarded the motor cruiser with the pump from the Shannon class lifeboat and began pumping out the vessel and preparing it for towing.
The two crew from the casualty vessel were taken aboard the Porthcawl lifeboat and were returned to Porthcawl. The vessel was towed back to Ilfracombe harbour by the RNLI Ilfracombe lifeboat with the pumps running and arrived at Ilfracombe harbour at 7.45 p.m. The motor cruiser was beached in the harbour ready to be lifted out the following day.