Lifeboat aids solo yachtsman after vessel loses power in early hours

A lifeboat was called out to rescue a yacht with a single crewman after it lost power off the coast of East Lothian in the early hours of Saturday.

The RNLI said the situation could have been “dangerous” due to busy commercial shipping traffic around the Forth.

The yacht lost power on his vessel around 2am and started to drift, around three miles north of Torness Power Station.

Although he tried to restart the engine, the increasing swell made conditions difficult and he called the coastguard for help.

A lifeboat called John Neville Taylor was launched from Torness and was on scene in 15 minutes.

Coxswain Gary Fairbairn decided the best course of action was to tow the 23ft vessel to Dunbar harbour. It reached safety there just after 5am.

Mr Fairbairn said the yacht’s skipper did the right thing in calling for help but the incident highlighted the risks of sailing at night in commercial shipping lanes.

He said: “Drifting in an area busy with ships coming in and out of the Forth could have been dangerous.

“It was a small vessel and not easily seen in those conditions.”