Published: August 19, 2009
Mayday call tests Burnham-On-Sea lifeboat helmsman Stuart

A prospective lifeboat helmsman who was on a training session in Burnham-On-Sea on Tuesday evening (August 19th) was called to carry out a real rescue.

Prospective helmsman Stuart Lacey had launched Puffin, the D-Class lifeboat, under the watchful eye of RNLI assessor Nigel Jones to undergo his final assessment as a helm when Coastguards diverted him to a Mayday distress call at 7.40pm from a broken down power boat, apparently off Hinkley Point.

Stuart took the challenge and, with permission from his assessor, set off for Hinkley Point.

While Stuart found nothing and was eventually stood down when it emerged that the stricken vessel's owner had corrected his position as being "off Hurlstone Point" some distance away, it was an ideal test of his expertise.

Swansea Coastguards paged the Minehead lifeboat to take on the task, and Stuart returned to Burnham jetty.

Lifeboat Operations Manager Ricky Holmes told Burnham-On-Sea.com: "Stuart passed with flying colours and having a real shout meant he was tested under actual and not simulated conditions."

RELATED LINKS:

Lifeboats website for Burnham-On-Sea