Margate’s RNLI lifeboat has provided assistance to a yacht after it was in collision with a ship off the north Kent coast.
Around 3pm today (Friday 29 April) UK Coastguard received a Pan Pan urgency signal from a 27ft sailing yacht with two persons on board reporting that they had been in collision with a merchant vessel in the Margate Roads.
The two occupants reported they were unharmed but their vessel had lost mechanical power and also its mainsail and they were able to sail downwind only under a foresail.
Margate’s RNLI B class Atlantic 85 lifeboat was tasked to assess the situation and assist where required. The casualty vessel was found south of North Foreland and the lifeboat crew’s initial priority was to check on the welfare of the occupants who were wearing lifejackets and were unharmed.
The yacht was however unable to make way towards Ramsgate, the nearest port of refuge and after assessing the situation the lifeboat took the casualty vessel under tow to the safety of Ramsgate harbour where it was secured alongside. After a final check on the yacht’s two crew the lifeboat returned to station.
