Rye Harbour Lifeboat called to rescue yacht

Crew members were put on board the Belgian registered 7.25 metre yacht ‘Sophie Anne’ last Tuesday

They lowered the mast so that the yacht could be towed out from under the bridge against the fast flowing incoming tide.

Richard Tollett, RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager for Rye Harbour RNLI Lifeboat Station, said: “This is not the first time that we have been to the rescue of a boat stuck under Monkbretton Bridge. Our volunteer crew train for every eventuality.

“On average it costs £1,266 each year for individual crew members training. This training enables ordinary people to do extraordinary things.”

The lifeboat also went to the assistance of a small yacht Far Cry, last Saturday after it ran aground 100 metres east of Rye Harbour Entrance after suffering engine failure.

The yacht had lost her outboard engine whilst being washed ashore. One of the crew was put ashore to attach a tow line to the yacht which was re-floated and taken in tow back to the public slipway at Rye Harbour.

Later that day the lifeboat received a report of a capsized dinghy which had washed ashore on Camber Sands on the eastern side of Rye Harbour Entrance. They managed to pull the dinghy up onto the beach.

Richard Tollett said: “The crew never know what they are going to find when they arrive at a casualty, this is one of the reasons that we train for all eventuality.

“We are very fortunate to have a lot of expertise and knowledge at the station, which is a testament to the dedication and training carried out by our volunteer crew and launchers.”