Two boats were brought safely into Castletown Harbour after both got into difficulty at sea, prompting the launch of both Port St Mary RNLI lifeboats.

The lifeboats were called out at 1.46pm on Sunday, October 11, after reports of a small fishing vessel experiencing mechanical problems close to shore off Langness.

The fishing boat had anchored, but its anchor was dragging.

The all-weather lifeboat Henry Heys Duckworth and the inshore lifeboat Frank Martin launched at 1.56pm, with seven and four volunteer crew members aboard respectively.

They arrived on scene nine minutes later to find a nearby speed boat had already taken the fishing vessel under tow.

However, the speed boat then developed engine problems itself, leaving both vessels in need of assistance.

After assessing the situation, the crew of the inshore lifeboat took the fishing boat under tow and escorted it towards the harbour, while the all-weather lifeboat began towing the speed boat.

Once the fishing vessel had been brought safely into harbour, the inshore lifeboat returned and took over the tow of the second boat from the all-weather lifeboat.

Both vessels were brought safely into Castletown Harbour, where their occupants were checked over by the Isle of Man Coastguard.

The call-out was a particularly memorable one for volunteer crew members Sarah and Haydn, who were both attending their first RNLI shouts.

Sarah said: ‘It was great to get my first shout under my belt. All the practising paid off and it was great to be part of such a good team.’

A spokesperson for Port St Mary RNLI said the incident had a positive outcome but highlighted the importance of preparing properly before going to sea.

They added: ‘Regular maintenance of vessels, wearing suitable lifejackets and carrying reliable means of communication can make a significant difference should something unexpected happen on the water.’

Both lifeboats returned to the station following the rescue and were made ready for service.