WSV's in Difficulty in Moderate North Sea Weather

UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency report Yarmouth Coastguard's response to recent WSV's in distress.

Yarmouth Coastguard  coordinated the response for two Windfarm Support Vessels (WSV) working at offshore windfarms involved in separate incidents off the east coast of England as follows:

Windcat 9 issued a VHF DSC Mayday offshore from Humber and reported that they were taking in water. Yarmouth Coastguard requested the launch of Humber and Cleethorpes RNLI lifeboats and the rescue helicopter from RAF Leconfield.  Due to concern that the vessel could be sinking the 15 crew abandoned to another vessel.  The rescue helicopter transferred two pumps on board the vessel and lifeboat crew were able to control the ingress of water and towed the vessel to Grimsby.

In a separate incident Yarmouth Coastguard requested the launch of Wells and Cromer RNLI lifeboats to the vessel Island Panther following a collision with a tower while working at the wind farm off Sheringham.  All five crew sustained injuries and a doctor was transferred to the vessel by lifeboat.  The Island Panther made it’s way back to Wells where East of England Ambulance Service received the injured crew.

Weather conditions in the area were winds of force 5 with a one metre swell.