Dutch Yacht Drama Off Suffolk's Coast

Tuesday, 23 June 2026 06:00

The Dutch yacht being towed to Lowestoft. Image from Lowestoft RNLI

A Dutch yacht was towed safely into Lowestoft harbour after becoming stranded off the Suffolk coast when a rope became tangled around its propeller.

The volunteer crew of Lowestoft RNLI Lifeboat were called out at 4.37am on Monday (22nd June) to assist the eight-metre vessel.

Launching aboard the all-weather lifeboat Patsy Knight, the crew located the yacht around three nautical miles north north-east of Lowestoft.

The two people on board told rescuers that a rope had become wrapped around the propeller, disabling the yacht's auxiliary engine. Although they had managed to sail close to their destination, they were unable to safely navigate through the harbour entrance without engine power.

Lowestoft RNLI assessed the situation and, with no commercial assistance available and the yacht positioned in a busy shipping lane, decided the safest option was to tow the vessel into harbour.

The lifeboat crew connected a tow line and brought the yacht around the sandbank and into the Stanford Channel before guiding it through the harbour entrance.

Despite choppy conditions at the harbour mouth, the yacht was successfully moored at the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club at around 6.30am.

Second Coxswain Karl Jackson praised the efforts of the volunteer crew, whose early morning call-out ensured the vessel and its occupants reached safety.