A late-afternoonLowestoft lifeboat callout to Southwold ensured a safe recovery after a 10-metre workboat with engine failure was unable to enter the harbour.
The incident began when the vessel, already under tow, approached Southwold but struggled to negotiate the narrow entrances to both the harbour and the yacht marina. With no engine power available, its progress became increasingly difficult and potentially unsafe.
The Southwold lifeboat launched at around 4.20pm on Friday (28th November) and met the tow just off the coast. Crews took over the operation, securing the workboat and guiding it through the confined approaches that it could not manage under the original tow.
Once inside the harbour, the lifeboat team continued the manoeuvre, ensuring the vessel was safely brought into the yacht marina and properly moored.
No injuries were reported, and the operation was completed without further incident.
The callout highlights the challenges vessels can face when approaching Southwold’s tight harbour entrance, particularly in poor mechanical condition or without reliable propulsion. Lifeboat crews say this is exactly the type of situation where a controlled tow is essential to avoid grounding or obstruction.
Further details about the vessel’s mechanical failure were not released, but the RNLI confirmed the incident concluded successfully, with the powerless workboat now secure within the marina.
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