[T]he Shannon class RNLI lifeboat at Workington has been called into action on two consecutive nights.
The first call out on 18 December was to a 16 metre fishing vessel Bonnie Lass111 which had suffered engine failure six miles west of Sellafield.
Workington Shannon Class Lifeboat Dorothy May White launched on service at 12.40am with a crew of seven. The casualty vessel was six miles west of Sellafield and had suffered engine failure with a crew of four on board.
A tow was established and the lifeboat proceeded to Whitehaven but was unable to reach port due to an ebbing tide. At 3.40am, the vessel was put to anchor 0.5 miles off Whitehaven piers.
Workington RNLI lifeboat returned to station by 4.10am. The volunteer crew then returned to station to launch again 10am to tow the vessel to Whitehaven. Two crew members were put on board the fishing vessel during the tow. The fishing vessel was safety brought alongside at Whitehaven marina and met by Whitehaven Coastguard rescue teams at 10.30am.
In the early hours of this morning (19 December) the crew were in action again when HM Coastguard requested the launch of Workington lifeboat to a cable laying support vessel. The vessel was adrift five miles west of Whitehaven having lost engine power with one person on board.
The volunteers once again were roused by their pagers just after midnight and the Shannon class lifeboat launched with a crew of seven.
On arrival at the scene, two all-weather lifeboat crew members were quickly put on board cable laying support vessel to assess casualty to secure and attach tow.
With the tow established Workington RNLI lifeboat proceeded to Whitehaven Marina, where the casualty vessel was moored in berth. Workington RNLI lifeboat returned to station at 2.20am.
