Port St Mary RNLI were recently called out to assist a 5.2m vessel with engine failure.

The vessel, which had three crew members on board, was reported to be approximately two miles off South Scarlett when assistance was requested at 4.34pm on Saturday.

Thick sea mist had reduced visibility to approximately 50 metres, prompting the deployment of both the station’s inshore lifeboat ‘Frank Martin’ and the Trent-class all-weather lifeboat ‘Henry Heys Duckworth’ to aid in locating the vessel, which lacked power and navigational capability.

Despite calm sea conditions and a light southerly wind, the low visibility and absence of wind left the vessel adrift for several hours, with the crew unable to restart the engine or determine their precise location.

Using onboard radar systems, the all-weather lifeboat located the vessel and arrived on scene at 5.05pm.

Crew members conducted an initial assessment and confirmed that those on board were uninjured.

Given the vessel’s lack of propulsion and the ongoing visibility issues, the decision was made to tow it to safety.

A tow was established by 5.10pm, and the vessel was brought towards Port St Mary as tidal conditions made Castletown less suitable.

As the vessels neared the harbour, sea mist began to lift, allowing the tow to be handed over to the inshore lifeboat.

The casualty vessel was safely secured alongside the inner harbour at 5.40pm, where it was handed over to the Coastguard Rescue Team.

The call-out marked the first operational deployment for newly qualified crew member Jane-Ann Thompson.

Reflecting on the incident, she described the response as ‘a textbook operation’, and praised the teamwork and camaraderie among the lifeboat crews.

Both lifeboats were refuelled, cleaned, and ready for service again by 6.10pm.

The RNLI has now reminded all boaters heading out this summer to prepare thoroughly and download safety checklists at RNLI.org/boostskills.