Tenby RNLI came to the rescue when a yacht suffered engine failure near East Helwick buoy.

The all-weather lifeboat was launched at around 2.20pm on Saturday, May 30, after the coastguard received a pan pan call from a yacht with one person on board, reporting engine failure in the vicinity of the East Helwick buoy, 15 miles south-east of Tenby.

Due to the danger of the yacht drifting towards rocks and with their station being closer, the smaller inshore lifeboat from Horton and Port Eynon was also tasked.

Both lifeboats arrived within a minute of each other and after a thorough assessment, it was decided that Horton lifeboat would transfer a crew member from Tenby onto the casualty vessel and then transfer the skipper, who was exhausted, onto Tenby’s lifeboat.

With total engine failure and practically no wind, sailing the yacht was out of the question and with anchoring the yacht in place meaning it would cause a navigational hazard, it was decided to tow the yacht back to Tenby harbour, where the skipper could effect repairs.

On arrival at Tenby, the yacht was taken into Tenby harbour and moored against the wall.The lifeboat then returned to station, arriving just after 6pm.