Bridlington RNLI and Hornsea Inshore Rescue worked together to save crew stuck on a motor boat with failed engine

Bridlington RNLI inshore lifeboat (ILB) Ernie Wellings. Photo: RNLI/Mike Milner

Volunteer crew from Bridlington RNLI were requested to immediately launch by the HM Coastguard at 1.34pm on Sunday (3 September), the inshore lifeboat (ILB) Ernie Wellings was launched shortly after and headed to the motor launch in conjunction with the Hornsea rescue boat which was already at sea on exercise.

The HM Coastguards had been contacted by the 19-foot motor launch that had suffered engine failure and was some 3 miles east of Bridlington, with two adults and one child onboard.

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Volunteer Crew Member, Kristina Batalina, who went on her first operational rescue on Sunday September 3. Photo: RNLI/Mike Milner

Upon joining the incapacitated vessel, along with the Hornsea rescue boat, it was decided that Hornsea Inshore Rescue would take the motor launch under tow and recover it back to Hornsea from where it had launched earlier in the day. The launch and its occupants all arrived safely back at Hornsea after a 90-minute tow.

RNLI Bridlington inshore boat then returned to the beach at Bridlington, was recovered, washed down, and made ready for service by 2.46 pm. The tasking marked the first operational rescue for volunteer trainee inshore crew member Kristina Batalina.

Kristina said ‘When the helm informed me that I was to be on the shout and would be doing towing I was a little worried, but then I thought I will have experienced crew around me and we can do this job together, so I have no need to worry.

"I then switched onto the task at hand and was confident in myself because of our continual training, I was ready and did know what to do because of them. The rescue went as planned, I am very thankful for all the time the crew has spent with me, with all the training and this worked in a real tasking situation.’