Stricken yacht towed to safety

Sea Rescue volunteers aboard Spirit of Richards Bay assist to bring the yacht Tangle to her safe moorings in the Port of Richards Bay

Sea Rescue Station 19 at Richards Bay safely towed a yacht with motor failure into port in the early hours of Friday morning. Gavin Fordham, Sea Rescue Richards Bay deputy station commander, said: ‘At 02h40 Sea Rescue Richards Bay volunteers were activated following a request for assistance from the yacht Tangle, with two local males onboard. ‘It is believed that they had gone out for a sail off the bay but were unable to get back into Port following failure to their motor. ‘We launched our rescue craft Spirit of Richards Bay and rendezvoused with the yacht 3.5 nautical miles off-shore of the Port of Richards Bay in 2 to 3 metre swells and a 25 knot South Westerly wind. ‘A tow-line was rigged and the yacht and both her crew were towed safely into Port without incident and they required no further assistance once moored.’