UK: HMS St Albans Saves Fishing Boat

January 17, 2013

For the second time in three days Royal Navy sailors prevented a ship from foundering off the South Coast. The crew of frigate HMS St Albans stopped the stricken fishing boat Lady Ellen being dashed on the rocks of Rame Head in Plymouth Sound, towing it to safety before a pilot boat helped the vessel into Plymouth.

HMS St Albans had been just a couple of miles away when she picked up a mayday from the 18ft fishing boat, whose engine had failed close to Rame Head. She had started to drift perilously close to the rocks.

Brixham Coastguard coordinated other offers of assistance, but gave the job to ‘The Saint’ because the frigate’s marine engineers might be able to restart the engines; at the very least her sea boats would be able to tow her safely away from the cliffs.

The sea boat did just that, but the engineers realised the Lady Ellen would require more substantial repairs in Plymouth.

St Albans’s sea boat crew passed the tow over to pilot cutter Tamar Racer to take the Lady Ellen back to the Barbican, allowing the warship to finish her trials. The fishing boat’s crew of two were very grateful for the speedy assistance and no harm came to any of the fishermen.

AB John Bayne, the coxswain of the first sea boat on the scene, said: “As soon as we hear a mayday call we all react immediately. It was good that we were so close as the fishing boat was getting very close to the rocks.”

His commanding officer, Cdr Andrew Block, added: “We will always offer assistance to nearby seafarers – saving life at sea, regardless of who it is, is the first rule of any sailor.

“I am very proud of my ship’s company who reacted quickly and instinctively, ensuring that the crew of the Lady Ellen came to no harm.”

The rescue comes just three days after a joint effort by the crews of fishery protection ship HMS Severn and St Albans’ sister HMS Lancaster prevented the ocean-going tug Christos XXII sinking after she was holed in Torbay on Sunday night.

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Naval Today Staff, January 17, 2013; Image: Royal Navy