At 19.46 on Saturday evening, H.M. Coastguard requested the launch of the Exmouth RNLI lifeboat following a Pan Pan call from a disabled motorboat.
The Exmouth ILB, George Bearman II, and three volunteer crew launched at 19.53 and set off to locate the vessel. Due to the light conditions and limited initial location information it took around 25 minutes for the ILB crew to locate them, approximately 2 miles south of the River Otter.
The vessel had correctly dropped an anchor and those onboard had done everything possible to try and address the reasons for their engine failure, but had been unable to do so. Since dropping their anchor it had dragged in the deep water and they had drifted a significant distance.
The helm of the ILB assessed the size of the vessel, distance to safest port and sea conditions and requested the support of the Exmouth RNLI All-Weather Lifeboat R&J Welburn, which swiftly launched with a further five volunteer crew onboard.
The ILB crew stayed on scene until the arrival of the ALB at 21.05. Upon arriving, the ALB Coxswain assessed that a risk to navigation and welfare meant that towing the vessel back the safety of Exmouth was appropriate, so after securing a tow they proceeded to bring the disabled vessel back to the safety of a mooring on the River Exe.
This tow took approximately 90 mins, after which the ILB crew once again stepped in for the final element of the evening by taking the three casualty vessel crew back from this mooring to the safety of Starcross.
Some great teamwork getting the vessel and three crew back to safely, but a longish Saturday evening for our volunteers who eventually left the station for their beds just after midnight.
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