DUNBAR’S two RNLI lifeboats were called into action to help a yacht that had got into trouble at Tyne Mouth, near Tyninghame Beach.
The crews were paged by UK Coastguard at 9.45pm last Thursday amid reports of a yacht running aground on rocks.
At 10.05pm, the inshore lifeboat arrived on the scene to find a nine-metre yacht stranded on the rocks, with the all-weather lifeboat arriving shortly after to assist the vessel.
The crew of the Edinburgh-based vessel were heading towards Holy Island in Northumberland but found themselves in trouble when they were trying to shelter for the night at Belhaven Bay.
The yacht was seen listing and the volunteers decided the best course of action was to help the skipper drop his anchor and remove him from the boat until the tide had risen.
At 6am on Friday, both vessels launched once again to return to the yacht, where it was safely afloat and undamaged.
The crews then escorted the vessel back to Dunbar Harbour.
The yacht was found stranded on rocks at the mouth of the Tyne. Photo: RNLI Dunbar
The lifeboat station said on Facebook: “Dunbar’s two RNLI lifeboats launched last night (Thursday) following a report of a yacht aground at Tyne Mouth.
“After UK Coastguard paged the volunteer crew at 9.45pm, the ILB launched 10 minutes later and by 10.05pm arrived on scene to find the nine-metre yacht on rocks known locally as Wildfire. The ALB arrived shorty after.
“The experienced skipper of the Edinburgh-registered vessel had been on passage to the Holy Island, in Northumberland, but had tried to seek shelter for the night by Belhaven Bay and misjudged the severity of the hazardous location.
“The twin keel yacht was listing to the starboard side and, as it could not be removed safely, the decision was taken to help the skipper deploy his anchor and take him off the boat to return when the tide had risen.
“Both lifeboats launched again at 6am and returned to the vessel where they found it afloat and undamaged. The skipper was able to carry on under his own power and, as he was intending to come to Dunbar Harbour, both lifeboats escorted him there to ensure all was well with the yacht.
“If you get into difficulty at sea or notice anyone in trouble, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.”
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