Sailing schooner rescued after taking in water off the Northumberland coast

The 40ft vessel, with two crew, lost its rudder just south of Holy Island on Wednesday afternoon.

UK Coastguard received a Mayday distress call at 5.30pm and requested the immediate launch of Seahouses all-weather lifeboat.

As the lifeboat approached the area, the casualty fired a distress flare to assist the lifeboat to locate them, by which time the lifeboat crew had already established visual contact.

On arrival, the Lifeboat Coxswain assessed the casualty’s situation and it was decided with the consent of the schooner’s skipper, to take the vessel in tow to Seahouses after putting a crewman and a salvage pump aboard.

The water ingress was controlled, and the casualty finally arrived at Seahouses at 8.30pm, where the coastguard rescue team were ready to assist with berthing the vessel.

A fresh breeze made the operation less easy, requiring some careful boat handling skill by the coxswain.

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