Volunteers from HM Coastguard Lytham were called out at 8:44 a.m. this morning (Tuesday 9th April). The team, together with volunteers from Lytham St.Anne’s RNLI, were tasked to respond to a distress call from a sailing vessel which had ran aground in the River Ribble near Astland Lamp – a tricky stretch of the river due to the training wall (a wall of rock used to keep the channel clear of silt). With a high spring tide & stormy weather incoming, the captain made the right call requesting assistance rather than waiting to refloat by themselves.
The HM Coastguard team located the vessel, established communications with Holyhead MRCC and maintained a watch from the North Bank while the situation was resolved by Lytham St.Anne’s RNLI.
The inshore and all-weather lifeboats from Lytham St Anne’s RNLI put a crewmember aboard, established a tow, freed the vessel once there was sufficient water and took them to the safety of Douglas Boatyard where they were met by volunteers from HM Coastguard Southport.
