At 02:43 Falmouth Coastguard requested that Falmouth Inshore Lifeboat be launched following a report from a yacht in the anchorage off Custom House Quay, that a large ketch was dragging its anchor and in danger of going aground on the Trefusis shore. The lifeboat crew were still in the lifeboat station following the previous lifeboat call.

The Inshore Lifeboat launched from her slipway at 02:45 and proceeded to the anchorage where at 02:47 they were able to confirm that the vessel was the 55ft Dutch Ketch Meriliisa. Its skipper was aware of its situation and accepted the assistance of the inshore lifeboat to find a suitable mooring. One of the lifeboat crew was placed onboard the vessel to help the skipper and his wife in recovering the anchor while the Inshore Lifeboat located a suitable mooring.

The inshore lifeboat escorted the vessel to one of the visitors moorings off Prince of Wales Pier and assisted in securing the vessel to the buoy. Once this had been completed at 03:18 the inshore lifeboat was released to return to station.

The Inshore Lifeboat was back on its slipway by 03:25 where it was refuelled, rehoused and was ready for service by 03:38.

The prevailing weather conditions had meant that the ketch had been dragging its anchor throughout the night despite having deployed 40m of chain and had need to re-anchor on a number of occasions. The skipper was obviously very experienced but was very grateful for the inshore lifeboat crews assistance, which meant that both he and his wife could at last get some sleep.

An Inshore Lifeboat Service

 

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