Lifeboat rescues vessel stuck in harbour

The 30ft yacht had hit the mud bank just outside the entrance to Fareham Lake on Monday and was listing at a 45-degree angle.

The boat, which had two people on board, had been stuck since lunchtime when UK Coastguard paged Gosport & Fareham Inshore Rescue Service, based at Stokes Bay, Gosport, to assist at 6pm.

The lifeboat quickly found the stranded vessel and placed a crew member on board the yacht to assess the situation.

Gafirs coxswain Brian Pack said: ‘With the tide rising it was only a matter of time before the boat was afloat again, however the problem lay with the kedge anchor.

‘Unfortunately not only was the yacht aground but it had also fouled its anchor which made towing the stricken vessel free quite tricky.

‘However, my crew worked hard and we soon had the vessel afloat again and on its way.’

Gafirs’ crew took the yacht into an alongside tow and helped it back to its mooring in Fareham Creek before returning the casualties – who after spending seven hours at sea were feeling the cold – back to shore at Haslar Marina. In all the rescue operation lasted three hours.