1146/2024 - Missing vessel search

Corsen MRCC called on the Service to assist with the search for an overdue sailing vessel, with one person on board. This was the same vessel that Air Search had located on Wednesday morning, after it had suffered power failure South West of Jersey.

After leaving Jersey at 8am on Thursday, the vessel was again reported overdue on the morning of 5th October.

Lions' Pride departed Guernsey at 0930 hrs and set course for the search area allocated by Corsen MRCC, some 80 miles South West of Guernsey.

En-route to the search area, 21 minutes after take off, the vessel was located by the crew around 40 miles WSW of Guernsey, and it was apparent that it had again suffered a power failure. With no engine or sails, it was drifting, pitching and rolling with the sea.

The location was passed to Corsen MRCC and a lifeboat from Ploumanac'h was dispatched, and Lions' Pride was requested to remain overhead pending the arrival of the lifeboat.

The vessel was directly in the path of a cruise ship heading to the area, and it was alerted by the crew of the situation.

Once the vessel was safely in the care of the lifeboat SNS098, Lions' Pride returned to Guernsey, as the vessel was taken under tow to Roscoff.

Due to the distance from the shore, Lions' Pride acted as a radio relay between the lifeboat and Corsen MRCC.

Landing in Guernsey after being airborne for nearly 2hrs 45 minutes, the aircraft was refuelled and made ready for service.

The colour of the vessel and the sea state made this a difficult vessel to spot.