The UK Coastguard requested the launch of Seahouses Inshore Lifeboat at 6.20pm yesterday (Saturday, April 30), to assist the yacht, which had one crew person aboard.
The yacht's anchor was dragging around Holy Island haven, with the crewperson unable to retrieve it and requiring assistance to free it.
The lifeboat travelled to Holy Island, where the crew attempted to free the yacht's anchor.
Eventually they were unable to free the anchor, after a rope was also found snagged around the yacht's propeller and rudder.
At this point, the Inshore Lifeboat crew requested the assistance of the larger All Weather Lifeboat, as the rope on the yacht's propeller was “complicating an already difficult situation”.
Several hours later at around 6.53pm, the UK Coastguard contacted the Seahouses Duty Launch Authority and the All Weather Lifeboat crew. who were able to free the anchor.
Due to the large yacht's propeller being fouled by a towline, the All Weather Lifeboat Coxswain offered, with the yachtsman's consent, to tow the yacht to the Kettle anchorage, in the Inner Farne Islands, and arrange for a diver to attend the following day, to remove the rope from its propeller.
This was agreed, and the yacht was towed to the Kettle while both lifeboats returned to station.