Porthdinllaen and Wicklow RNLI Join Forces to Aid Stricken Yacht

Monday 11 May 2026

Two RNLI lifeboat crews from opposite sides of the Irish Sea joined forces to assist a lone sailor after a yacht suffered mechanical failure and drifted dangerously close to busy international shipping lanes.

The vessel is towed from busy shipping lanes. Photo Credit: RNLI/Wicklow

The incident began at 5.40am when HM Coastguard requested the launch of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution crew at Porthdinllaen following reports of a 30-foot yacht in difficulty approximately 30 miles west of the station.

Launching aboard the station’s Tamar class lifeboat under the command of Duty Coxswain Adam Daniel, the volunteer crew made best speed towards the yacht’s last known position.

While en route, further information was relayed by HM Coastguard confirming the vessel was a ketch-rigged yacht carrying a single sailor. The yacht had suffered mechanical failure, was unable to deploy its sails and the skipper was reported to be suffering from fatigue.

As the casualty vessel drifted closer to the busy traffic separation lanes in the Irish Sea, the urgency of the situation increased. By the time the Porthdinllaen crew arrived on scene, the yacht had drifted further towards the Irish coast.

After assessing the conditions, Coxswain Adam Daniel decided the safest course of action was to establish a tow immediately to prevent any risk of the yacht colliding with commercial shipping traffic. Due to the vessel’s proximity to Ireland, assistance was requested from the RNLI crew at Wicklow Harbour.

Wicklow RNLI launched its Shannon class lifeboat, RNLB Bridie O’Shea, at 8.10am with Coxswain Alan Goucher and six crew members on board. The Irish crew quickly made their way to rendezvous with the Welsh lifeboat.

Arriving on scene within an hour, a Wicklow crew member boarded the yacht to assist with transferring the tow line. Once the transfer had been completed and the sailor’s wellbeing confirmed, Wicklow RNLI took over the tow and proceeded back towards Wicklow Harbour.

Porthdinllaen RNLI was then able to stand down and return to station, arriving back at 11.30am. The lifeboat was subsequently refuelled, washed down and made ready again for service by 12.30pm.

Meanwhile, the Wicklow crew safely escorted the yacht back to harbour, securing the casualty vessel alongside at 12.15pm.

Speaking afterwards, Coxswain Adam Daniel praised the joint effort between the two RNLI crews.

“Thanks to our colleagues at Wicklow for their assistance today,” he said. “The yacht was drifting in the international shipping lanes in the Irish Sea, and it was imperative that a tow was secured to tow the craft clear of the lanes to avoid any possibility of a collision. Thanks to both crews, the tow was transferred and secured in a timely and safe manner.”