A family’s first day out in their motor cruiser came to a dramatic end on Good Friday morning when their newly serviced engine broke down within 15 minutes of their being launched at Hornsea slipway.
They immediately called the coastguard on 999 and Hornsea Inshore Rescue was tasked to go to their assistance.
With coxswain Tom Mitchell and crew Rob Carthew and Adrian Chiverton, the Spirit of Hornsea was swiftly put to sea by launch master Adam Collins and within a minute or so was alongside the stricken vessel.
Following standard procedures for a vessel recovery in rough seas, the seven people aboard the vessel were taken on to the lifeboat and transferred to the shore. The lifeboat was then relaunched to recover the disabled cruiser, which was going to be a difficult operation because of the rough seas at the water’s edge.
A line was attached to the drifting boat, and it was towed towards the shore through very rough surf by the lifeboat which drove straight into its recovery trailer. The line was then attached to a second tractor by the shore crew of Sue Hickson-Marsay, Paul Jebson, Carl Handley and Steve Hall.
The stricken vessel was then hauled up on to the beach, recovered on to its trailer and returned to its berth in Hornsea Boat Launch. The boat’s owner, on behalf of his family, expressed their gratitude for such a swift and well-executed recovery, saying “they were very quickly on the scene – it was a brilliant rescue”.
Sue Hickson-Marsay, station manager and chairman of Hornsea Inshore Rescue, said: “We are delighted to have been able to assist the crew of the stranded vessel and bring them and the vessel back to safety.
“Our dedicated volunteers are trained to the highest standards and are always ready to respond to emergencies like this.”
