A ‘disorientated yachtsman’ swam ashore after running around in his yacht off the coast of West Sussex.
At 4.38pm on Saturday, 3 June, Littlehampton RNLI received a call from the UK Coastguard requesting assistance to a yacht which had been reported by a member of the public, to have run aground on Rustington beach.
The station’s Atlantic 85 lifeboat Renée Sherman and volunteer crew, Andy Harris at the helm, Josh Gruber, Adam Grummett and Richard Winstanley aboard headed out of the harbour towards Rustington in fine weather conditions.
The yacht with one man on board had run aground onto the beach. The RNLI lifeguards were already alongside the casualty when the lifeboat arrived and reported that the occupant had left the vessel and had swum ashore, he appeared to be disorientated and had walked away from the beach.
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One of the lifeboat crew went aboard the vessel and with the assistance of the lifeguards a tow line was rigged up and the yacht was towed back to Littlehampton harbour, where it was safely secured alongside Town Quay, the lifeboat returned to the station at 6.51pm.
The solo sailor had been located by a member of the public and been taken back to the lifeboat station, where an ambulance had already been requested.
He stated that he felt confused and described himself as feeling groggy, following a single-handed journey from Falmouth, his destination being Brighton Marina.
He was handed over to the paramedics so he could be assessed and receive any necessary medical attention. The police were also on hand to take further details.