The Dutch vessel, Generation Journey, with three people on board, had suffered mechanical failure and was in danger of floundering, in heavy seas and south-westerley winds gusting at gale force nine.

The corporate event vessel had, earlier that day, started out on a passage from Littlehampton to Portsmouth when she began to experience mechanical difficulties.

Bad weather

In deteriorating weather conditions the crew established that they would not be able to attempt re-entering the harbour at Littlehampton and informed Solent Coastguard that they intended to seek a berth and shelter at Shoreham.

As the vessel approached Shoreham they were informed by the harbour authorities that, due to lack of suitable moorings and commercial shipping movements, they could not allow them to enter.

The crew of the sailing barge decided that their only option was to try and make it to the safety of Brighton Marina and continued on, close inshore, in heavy seas.

Less than an hour after passing Shoreham Harbour the steel barge finally suffered total engine failure and 15 minutes after launching the lifeboat arrived on scene to find that the barge's crew had managed to drop anchor and the boat was just holding its position.

But it was now less than 400 metres offshore, adjacent to West Street, Brighton, with three-metre high waves smashing over her bows.

Tow

The lifeboat crew managed to pass over a tow-line to the crew of the stricken vessel and take her under tow to Brighton Marina, where a big enough berth had to be found for her.

Shoreham lifeboat coxswain Peter Huxtable later praised his crew's performance in what he described as having been "very difficult and testing conditions".

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