Exmouth RNLI rescue yacht adrift on river Exe

Brixham coastguard tasked Exmouth RNLI to stop a drifting cruising yacht on 13 November at 5.31pm. The inshore lifeboat George Bearman with three crew volunteers aboard found the unmanned vessel on the river Exe, by the railway at Lympstone.

The 23 foot cruiser broke loose from its mooring during a high tide and was drifting down the river in darkness. The volunteers identified it and towed it to the visitor's mooring, averting any danger of the yacht floating into other boats in the river and causing damage. Volunteer crew member, Ian Taylor reported:

'At the time of finding the boat, it was between Lympstone and the Commando centre against the river wall, to the railway line. It was the top of the tide, so quite slack. Later as the tide ebbs, it probably would have gone aground. There was a small chance he could have drifted into other moored boats and out to sea.'