Two individuals were stranded on a 14-meter sailing boat when its engine caught fire near a charming harbor town. The incident occurred off the coast of Fowey, in southern Cornwall, prompting an emergency response from RNLI crews on Saturday morning. The yacht experienced severe engine failure leading to a fire while situated approximately 12 nautical miles south southeast of Fowey.
Upon receiving the distress call, Border Force and Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) vessels were dispatched alongside RNLI to assist. By the time rescue teams reached the scene, the fire had been successfully extinguished, but a thorough inspection of the yacht was conducted to evaluate its condition.
Fortunately, both occupants on the yacht escaped unharmed according to Cornwall Live. The rescue teams secured the boat and began towing it back to shore, encountering a fierce hailstorm during the journey. Despite the challenging weather, the yacht was safely guided into Fowey Harbour, and the operation concluded without any further incidents.
In a statement, RNLI mentioned that their Severn class lifeboat Sybil Mullen Glover was launched at the request of Falmouth Coastguard to locate and assist the distressed sailing vessel. The crew managed to establish a tow line and guided the boat towards the nearest safe harbor after confirming the fire had been put out.