Yacht with broken mast near Selsey sparks emergency response

The UK Coastguard requested the immediate launch of the Selsey all-weather lifeboat after receiving a mayday distress call from a yacht that had been dismasted 3 miles south west of Selsey Bill, according to a report from RNLI Selsey.

The Shannon class all-weather lifeboat launched at 12.13pm on Saturday, August 22 and arrived on the scene twenty minutes later. The coastguard rescue helicopter was also called out.

Upon arrival, the yacht skipper told the RNLI crew that all six crew members were okay. They were still sorting the damaged mast and rigging out and would use the engine to get to the nearest port, which was Chichester Harbour, so the lifeboat escorted them there through the rough waves and windy conditions.

At 12.50pm, the yacht skipper said Sparkes Marina on Hayling Island had no room for them so they were continuing to Portsmouth Harbour. As they had secured everything on board, they said they no longer needed an escort.

The coastguards were happy with that and they would conduct welfare checks over the radio with the yacht at regular intervals, so the lifeboat was released to return to the station at 1pm, arriving back at 1.24pm.

The crew were coxswain Rob Archibald,mechanic Andy Lee, Max Gilligan, Will Moir, James Albrey and Sam Corcoran-Smith.