A LIFEBOAT was launched to help a yacht that had run into difficulties and was believed to be taking in water off the coast of Shetland.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) Lerwick was called to a report of a German-registered yacht in difficulties on Saturday evening at around 6pm one mile east of Helli Ness, off Cunningsburgh.
The skipper and one other person onboard the 12-foot vessel alerted the Shetland Coastguard believing the boat was taking in water below deck.
Emergency services reached the distressed crew around 20 minutes after the call was made and safely transferred the two people onboard onto the lifeboat.
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It was then determined by the emergency crew that the problem might be related to the yacht’s engine’s cooling system, rather than any obvious damage to the hull.
The vessel was then towed back to Lerwick Harbour just before 7.30pm where the yacht is to be repaired. Tommy Goudie, deputy coxswain, praised the yacht’s skipper for calling them out as with water building up below deck the boat could have drifted for “some time”.
He said: “The skipper did the right thing by contacting the coastguard when he realised he needed assistance.
“With water accumulating below deck and no means of propulsion, the vessel could have drifted for some time.
“Our crew were pleased to be able to assist and to bring the yacht back to the safety of Lerwick harbour for repairs.”
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