Published: October 22, 2008
Bomb disposal team called to 'Captain Calamity'

Bomb disposal experts were dramatically called to a 25ft trimaran moored in Burnham-On-Sea on Wednesday evening (October 22nd) which has had to be rescued twice in 48 hours.

The trimaran, with two people onboard including one who Coastguards have dubbed 'Captain Calamity', was the scene of fresh drama on Wednesday.

The latest twist to the story came after Burnham's Harbour Master, Chris Spencer, boarded the trimaran on Wednesday morning to make a safety inspection and found there were unsafe safety flares onboard dating back to the 1970s.

Coastguards were alerted and the Royal Logistics Corp Bomb Disposal Team from Tidworth near Salisbury were called to the scene to investigate. They arrived at 5.25pm and two officers boarded the boat to check on the flares.

They were taken away to be safely disposed of by the bomb disposal team, as pictured here.

Burnham Coastguard Station Officer Steve Bird told Burnham-On-Sea.com: "The harbour master went onboard the trimaran on Wednesday morning and found a stock of flares dating back to 1973."

"They were so far out of date and had such cracked cases that they could be potentially be very dangerous if fired or knocked."

Two officers - Sgt Jay Hobden and Lance Corporal Aaron Wharton - from the Royal Logistics Corp Bomb Disposal Team ventured onto the trimaran at the Sailing Club pontoons where the collection of a dozen flares was found.

"We have taken away a collection of marine pyrotechnics which could potentially be very dangerous if fired or handled roughly," Sgt Hobden told Burnham-On-Sea.com. "I haven't seen any in such a poor condition as this before."

The trimaran had to be rescued for the second time in 48 hours on Tuesday night after going aground on mudflats near Burnham-On-Sea.

Two Burnham RNLI lifeboats towed the trimaran, called the 'Star of Burnham', to the safety of the town's Sailing Club pontoons just after midnight on Wednesday morning (October 22nd) following an eventful two days for the pair onboard.

Burnham-On-Sea.com was first to report on Sunday how the trimaran had been overdue into Burnham and was located by an RAF Rescue Helicopter and taken in tow by Barry Dock lifeboat into Barry with two persons onboard after suffering engine problems.

It had no lifejackets, flares, charts or a VHF radio and Coastguards made it clear to the two men onboard that they were less than impressed. The vessel's owner was told he must tell them when he set out again for Burnham.

This he did on Tuesday morning and when, once again, he failed to arrive, they contacted him on a handheld radio and were told that he had grounded the vessel on mudflats, but didn't know where.

Burnham-On-Sea's Coastguard Rescue Team took over communication with the pair (pictured on the right) via their handheld radio, and eventually ascertained that the trimaran had gone aground west of Stert Island, having overshot the entry to Burnham.

A Burnham lifeboat crew was launched from Burnham beach late on Tuesday evening to tow the trimaran to safety later on the high tide.

Swansea Coastguard Watch Manager Steve Jones told Burnham-On-Sea.com: "This Captain Calamity figure has cost the time and effort of lifeboat and helicopter crews and Coastguard Rescue Teams on two occasions in two days."

"We hope that this second experience will serve as a reminder to both the vessel owner and members of the public to ensure that you do not take on marine leisure activities that are beyond your comfort zone and capabilities and to always carry the relevant safety equipment on board whenever you set out onto the water."

The pair told Burnham-On-Sea.com that they were "very, very grateful" to the lifeboats and Coastguard teams for helping them and added that they had only recently bought the trimaran, which they thought had been well equipped before setting sail.

Our photos show the bomb disposal team at Burnham-On-Sea Sailing Club on Wednesday evening