A small survey vessel, the MTS Terramare, ran aground off the coast of Newgale, UK on Tuesday night while working on a telecom line project. The crew had to abandon ship onto the beach after the vessel lost power in one engine and could not maintain its heading in rough surf. Bystanders reported seeing bright arcs from an electrical short on deck as waves washed over the working deck.
The St. Davids RNLI lifeboat responded to the distress call and made its way to Newgale to assist. The crew of the Terramare requested salvage pumps to dewater their vessel, but the rough surf made it impossible to carry out a transfer. Despite considering a salvage tow, the responders decided against it due to the size of the Terramare compared to the RNLI response boats and the hazardous conditions.
Fortunately, the vessel’s crew were unharmed and were able to step onto the pebble beach as the Terramare was nearly high and dry. The RNLI responders concluded their mission and returned to station after ensuring the crew’s safety. Coxswain Will Chant emphasized the RNLI’s mission to save lives at sea and their limitations in salvaging vessels, especially in challenging situations like this one.
