Richard Hemming shares this latest news from Yarmouth RNLI. Ed
The Yarmouth RNLI all weather lifeboat, The Eric and Susan Hiscock (Wanderer) was called to assist a 45ft fishing boat which was taking on water in Christchurch Bay at 3pm on Saturday 6th August.
The two man crew of the fishing vessel were taken off their boat by the Lymington inshore lifeboat which had been tasked to help a nearby vessel.
The Yarmouth lifeboat arrived at about 3.30pm and put a salvage pump aboard in order to try to keep the vessel afloat.
However, due to excessive debris inside the vessel, the pump frequently blocked and pumping had to be abandoned after twenty minutes and the vessel allowed to sink.
Not fit for sea?
Eyewitness accounts reported that the vessel was in no fit state to be at sea. Indeed it is alleged that it had been condemned by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) two years ago.
Engine room hatches and doors to the wheel house were missing making the boat excessively vulnerable to sinking, should sea swamp the deck.
In the event, the condition of the hull was such that the crew could be taken off in fine weather before such a disaster occurred.
Image: © With kind permission of Nick Edwards
