Training Exercise Turns Dramatic Rescue for Cowes Lifeboat Crew
What started as a routine training exercise for the Cowes lifeboat quickly turned into a high-stakes rescue yesterday evening.
Yachts Run Aground on Bramble Bank
At 7:45pm, the lifeboat was called in after two racing yachts from Cowes got stuck on the notorious Bramble Bank, located halfway between the Isle of Wight and Hampshire. One yacht managed to free itself before the lifeboat arrived, but the other was firmly grounded in the sand.
Quick Thinking Saves the Day
The lifeboat crew enlisted the yacht’s own sailors to lean the vessel over. This clever move allowed the lifeboat team to haul the stranded yacht off the sand. They then towed it safely back alongside the lifeboat to Cowes harbour.
Tea Break and Back in Action
The lifeboat’s helm turned out just in time for the ‘teatime shout out’. After a swift cuppa, the team returned to base, wrapping up a long but successful evening on the water.