Yacht carrying eight people and dog stuck on buoy rescued by Hayling Island RNLI lifeboat crews

The stricken vessel became trapped on a buoy just south of Chichester harbour. Hayling Island and Portsmouth lifeboat crews, as well as the coastguard, were scrambled on Saturday evening.

In a statement issued on Facebook, RNLI Hayling Island lifeboat station said they were called to assist just after 7pm “following reports of a yacht with eight people and a dog onboard that was stuck on a marker and unable to release itself.

They added: “Both lifeboats launched and proceeded with haste to the given location. On arrival the Atlantic was able to free the yacht from the buoy, but the captain of the casualty vessel reported the steering was stiff and therefore requested an escort to Haslar Marina in Portsmouth Harbour.”

One Hayling Island crew escorted the yacht back to the entrance of Langstone harbour, where Portsmouth crews carried on the escorting process to Haslar Marina in Gosport.

A spokeswoman from HM Coastguard said: “HM Coastguard were alerted to reports of a vessel that had become caught on a buoy just south of Chichester Harbour. Alerted just after 7pm on Saturday, April 19, Portsmouth and Hayling RNLI Lifeboats were tasked. The vessel was freed and safely accompanied by the lifeboats to harbour. All members on board were safe and well.”