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Boat: All Weather Lifeboat
Crew: Mark Pollard (Coxswain), John Blakeston, David Proud, Andy Jenkin, Jonathan Hackwell, Tom Bird, Adam West
Location: 12 miles Southeast of Falmouth
Shout Date: 09/05/2011 - 23:26
Weather:SW 6, Moderate Sea and Swell, Good Visibility, Clear Sky

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At 23:26 Falmouth Coastguard requested that Falmouth All Weather Lifeboat be launched following a distress call from the 40ft Yacht Melodrama with four persons onboard which had reported being in a collision with another vessel 12 miles Southeast of Falmouth. HMS Somerset also responded to the yachts distress call.

The All Weather Lifeboat left its pontoon berth at 23:36 and for the yacht’s original position. HMS Somerset stood by the yacht until the arrival of the lifeboat at 00:17. Having made an initial inspection of the damage to the yachts bow it was decided to take the yacht in tow and to head back to Falmouth. The yacht was safely moored alongside at Port Pendennis Marina at 03:52, the lifeboat being released to return to its station shortly afterwards.

The All Weather Lifeboat was back alongside its pontoon berth by 04:02. The lifeboat was then refuelled, and was ready for service by 04:25.

The 40ft yacht had been on passage when it had been in collision with an unknown vessel, which had then failed to stop. The yacht had suffered damaged to its bow above the waterline and its forestay had become detached putting the stability of the mast at risk. Although nobody onboard the yacht had been injured this had potentially been a very serious incident which is still being investigated by the Maritime Coastguard Agency.