Rye Harbour volunteer lifeboat crew responded to a UK Coastguard request to help a yacht in trouble just beyond the mouth of the River Rother on Wednesday March 21.
The inshore lifeboat launched at 11pm in calm, overcast conditions, reaching the yacht in 15 minutes. Taking over responsibility from a Hastings RNLI lifeboat crew already in attendance, two Rye Harbour crew members went aboard the yacht to support the skipper who had become disorientated.
The Rye Harbour lifeboat escorted the yacht safely into the river to moorings near the lifeboat station.
Tony Peters, lifeboat crew member, commented: “Erring on the side of caution was the safest option here. We would far rather go out and put our training to good use than have a situation escalate because someone in trouble at sea has been slow to call for help.”
Martin Bruce
