Newhaven RNLI launch to mayday from vessel taking on water

Newhaven’s Severn Class ALB 17-21 ‘David & Elizabeth Acland’ launched at 13:45 on Wednesday, March 20. According to the RNLI, Coastguard Rescue Helicopter 163 arrived on scene first, and located the casualty vessel West of Beachy Head, off Cuckmere Haven.

Once Eastbourne Lifeboat and Newhaven Lifeboat were on the scene, Eastbourne’s crew conducted welfare checks of the two people on the casualty vessel. The two people on the casualty boat were safely transferred onto Newhaven Lifeboat, according to the RNLI.

Newhaven Lifeboat say they transferred a crew member onto the casualty vessel to ascertain where the water ingress was. A crack was found in the hull of the casualty vessel and Newhaven’s salvage pump was used to pump the water out of the vessel.

Lewis Arnold, Coxswain, said: “Once all of the water was pumped out of the casualty vessel using our salvage pump, we brought the vessel back to Newhaven Harbour, continuing to pump water out intermittently. Once within reach of the marina, the vessel manoeuvred under it’s own power to it’s berth.”