Lifeboat launched to assist yacht after engine fire

Sun, 24 Jan 2021

Port St Mary lifeboat assist a yacht which had suffered an engine fire and as a result lost steering and drifted onto rocks in Port Erin Bay.

They were called out to the incident at just after 5:30pm yesterday.

The lifeboat had already been tasked to assist the 45ft yacht, but due to the size of the vessel, the UK Coastguard also requested the help of Port St Mary’s all-weather relief lifeboat RNLB Forward Birmingham.

The casualty vessel was already safely tied up on a mooring in Port Erin Bay.

Crew doctor Juan Corkill said: 'The RNLI like all the emergency services has had to adapt its procedures during the Covid pandemic. The crew for tonight’s shout were well drilled in wearing enhanced PPE, maintaining their commitment to each other’s safety and to saving lives at sea. Recent Covid restrictions have limited the opportunities to exercise but the Port St Mary lifeboat's experienced crew members were as always there to mentor the newer members such as myself.'

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