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The Sennen Cove RNLI volunteers getting a line to the disabled trawler. Photo: RNLI/Rich Castle
On Sunday morning, 07 March at 5.30am HM Coastguard Falmouth requested the assistance of the Sennen Cove Tamar class lifeboat. They had received a call for assistance from a 32-metre fishing vessel that had been disabled about forty miles north-north-west of Pendeen lighthouse.
The all-weather lifeboat City of London III launched at 5.50am, under the command of Second Coxswain Dan Shannon, with a total of six volunteer crew on board.
With good visibility and a relatively calm sea the lifeboat made best speed arriving on scene around 7.30am.
A line was passed to the casualty vessel and a tow established using the new issue towing equipment that the RNLI volunteer crew had only been trained to use on their most recent exercise launch.
The Tamar class lifeboat started towing the casualty to the vessel’s home port of Newlyn, over 50 miles away at 7.45am.
Steady progress was made towing the heavily laden vessel in fine weather with the lifeboat and casualty arriving at the approaches to Newyln Harbour at 4.55pm, a tow of just over 9 hours.
The City of London III passed the casualty vessel into the care of its owners who manoeuvred her into the safety of Newyln Harbour.
The lifeboat left Newlyn for Sennen Cove where she was recovered up the long slip at 5.50pm and refuelled after a round trip of over 100 miles.
