Exhausted solo sailor rescued after mayday alert off Sussex coast

A solo sailor was rescued after issuing a mayday call when his yacht was found drifting dangerously close to an offshore wind farm off the Sussex coast. Volunteers from RNLI Shoreham launched their all-weather lifeboat on Saturday night following reports of a missing vessel. The 10-metre yacht had departed from Southampton and was en route […]

A solo sailor was rescued after issuing a mayday call when his yacht was found drifting dangerously close to an offshore wind farm off the Sussex coast.

Volunteers from RNLI Shoreham launched their all-weather lifeboat on Saturday night following reports of a missing vessel.

The 10-metre yacht had departed from Southampton and was en route to Hartlepool when the alarm was raised.

The vessel was later located around 10 miles off Shoreham-by-Sea, drifting in and out of the Rampion Wind Farm. A coastguard helicopter spotted the yacht with its cabin lights on, but with no visible sign of anyone on board.

Lifeboat crew made best speed to the scene and transferred two volunteers onto the drifting yacht, where they discovered the skipper asleep and suffering from exhaustion.

After carrying out a medical check and confirming no further treatment was required, the coastguard helicopter was stood down.

Crew members then restarted the yacht’s engine and escorted the sailor safely back to harbour, arriving at Shoreham at around 3am on Sunday.

Lifeboat coxswain Simon Williams said: “The casualty was suffering from exhaustion and had alerted the coastguard but then fell asleep.

“The coastguard helicopter located the vessel which was drifting very close to the turbines in the wind farm. We were able to take control of the yacht and take it into the safety of Shoreham.”

The RNLI is reminding anyone in distress at sea to call 999 and ask for the coastguard.