SOUND SURVEYOR

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Workboat assisted trimaran in distress

The "Sound Surveyer" assisted the 35-ft-trimaran "Starship" on Apr 3, 2013, shortly before it broke up and capsized near Portland breakwater. The boat broke down in the afternoon and began to drift towards the breakwater. The "Sound Surveyor" initially responded to the Mayday call of the crew of two and began the tow. The tug "Maiden Castle" stood by while the "Sound Surveyor" which was on passage to the east got a line to the causality and pulled her clear of the breakwater. Portland Coastguard sent both Weymouth lifeboats to rescue the crew and bring the boat back, with the all-weather boat taking over the tow from the "Sound Surveyor". When the lifeboats arrived on scene at 4.36 p.m. they took over the rescue from the other two vessels who were then released to their normal duties. The two people on board as well as the lifeboat crew were taken off of the yacht by the inshore lifeboat and transferred to the allweather lifeboat prior the the start of the tow. Because the boat had hit the rocks and was badly damaged, water got into it. During the tow back to Weymouth in the high easterly winds and large swell that was running the yacht began to break up and capsized. The boat was abandoned close to the Portland harbour wall as it began to break up and later capsized. Coastguards have a record of everything on board so if anything washes up along the coast they can check it off against the list. The lifeboats returned to station at 8.45 p.m. Report with photos: http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/10332633.Two_people_rescued_from_boat_near_Portland/