By a County Press reporter
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Cowes RNLI towing the RIB. Picture courtesy of Cowes RNLI.
EIGHT people and a dog attending the annual mid-Solent cricket match at Bramble Bank, off the Isle of Wight had to be towed to safety by Cowes RNLI lifeboat yesterday (Monday) evening due to engine problems on their RIB.
The passengers were on board an eight-metre vessel returning to Cowes following the match, which takes place on a sandbank, when its engine overheated off Old Castle Point.
They reported they were in difficulty to Solent Coastguard who alerted Cowes lifeboat, which had been providing safety cover for more than 50 boats attending the match.
The RIB was towed by the lifeboat to the Island Sailing Club pontoon, Cowes.
They remained on the scene until they were satisfied everyone had got away without incident.
The cricket match held between sailing clubs based at Cowes and Hamble proved to be even more testing than usual as the wind ensured the sand was not as exposed as on previous occasions, according to a Cowes RNLI lifeboat spokesman.