Just after three thirty this afternoon (Saturday 28th April, 2012) Guernsey Coastguard received a call from a French yacht, with two persons onboard, advising that the yacht had suffered mast failure and required assistance.

The lifeboat crew were alerted and the lifeboat launched at ten to four. In the meantime an all ships call from Guernsey Coastguard had resulted in a response from the Commodore Clipper enroute to Guernsey from Portsmouth and from the Condor Express enroute from Guernsey to Jersey. In addition the Channel Island Airsearch aircraft which was airborne on exercise proceeded to the area. Airsearch spotted the casualty and stayed on scene until the Commodore Clipper arrived at which time the aircraft was tasked to Jersey Coastguard who was dealing with an incident Southwest of La Corbiere Point. With the Clipper on scene Condor Express was released to proceed on passage and the Commodore Clipper remained until the St Peter Port Lifeboat arrived at the casualty at just after quarter past five when it to was released to continue on passage.

The lifeboat established a tow and the casualty was towed to St Peter Port arriving at twenty past six where the casualty was handed over to the marina staff and taken to the pontoons outside the marina. The lifeboat was fuelled and ready for service by 1835.

The St Peter Port Lifeboat towing the French Dis-masted yacht Tiekoroba into St Peter Port 28-04-12 Picture by Tony Rive