Wind Farm Vessels in Difficulty Off East Anglia

Yarmouth Coastguard has coordinated the response for two vessels working at offshore windfarms involved in separate incidents off the east coast of England.

Windcat 9 issued a VHF DSC Mayday yesterday evening offshore from Humber and reported that they were taking in water. Yarmouth Coastguard requested the launch of Humber and Cleethorpes RNLI lifeboats and the rescue helicopter from RAF Leconfield. Due to concern that the vessel could be sinking the 15 crew abandoned to another vessel. The rescue helicopter transferred two pumps on board the vessel and lifeboat crew were able to control the ingress of water and towed the vessel to Grimsby.

In a separate incident Yarmouth Coastguard requested the launch of Wells and Cromer RNLI lifeboats to a vessel called Island Panther following a collision with a tower while working at the wind farm off Sheringham. All five crew sustained injuries and a doctor was transferred to the vessel by lifeboat. The Island Panther made its way back to Wells where East of England Ambulance Service received the injured crew. Weather conditions in the area were winds of force 5 with a one metre swell.

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Press release, November 22, 2012; Image: windcatworkboats