On 31 May at 1.25pm, Exmouth inshore lifeboat George Bearman II launched to assist a man who had been at sea for two days and had become disorientated near Langstone Rock.

The skipper of a local passenger boat company had heard the Pan Pan call for help for assistance by the sailor who was unsure of his location and called the Coastguard when the casualty in his 60s, was spotted off Dawlish Warren. Sidmouth lifeboat had already been tasked to search between Beer Head and Orcombe Point and subsequently tasked to tow the casualty towards the river Exe.

Exmouth RNLI volunteers took over the tow of the 7m yacht and put it on a visitor’s mooring in the river Exe. Other Crew volunteers took the casualty back to Exmouth lifeboat station so he could be assessed by a Paramedic.

Helm, Andy Stott said:

‘The casualty had been at sea for two days and two nights in poor weather conditions. He had lost use of all electrics, his hand-held VHF radio had been dropped into the sea during that period and he had become unsure of his location, especially in the poor visibility.’

(Photo credit: Sidmouth lifeboat)