Minehunter helps boat trapped in line
HMS Middleton returns to Portsmouth after three years in the Middle East.
Families and friends gathered in HMNB Portsmouth to welcome home their loved ones on board HMS Middleton which has returned from the Gulf after three years.
The minehunter left Portsmouth in July 2015 to continue the UK’s long standing commitment to security operations within the Middle East, changing crews five times within that period.
The current crew, MCM2 Crew 2 have been with the ship since January and worked closely with MCM1 Crew 2, on board HMS Bangor which has returned to HMNB Clyde.
The Royal Navy has said that HMS Middleton responded to a fishing boat’s Mayday call after it had become tangled with a line and was drifting in the Solent last weekend.
The Royal Navy ship heard the emergency call at 4pm on Saturday as it was passing St Catherine’s Point, south of the Isle of Wight. The boat got into trouble when its propeller became wrapped up in a line and, despite untangling some of it, the prop would not turn.
Middleton was near the fishing vessel so co-ordinated with Solent Coastguard to see how it could help.
After spotting the boat, which was drifting close to shore and in too shallow waters for Middleton to get alongside, the minehunter launched her seaboat with divers and marine engineers on board. With the vessel at anchor, Middleton’s crew took a look at the problem.
“Upon coming alongside the vessel, our divers cleared the rest of the line that was caught around the propeller and the marine engineers attempted to fix it,” says Lieutenant George Walker, navigating officer.
“Unfortunately they didn’t have the parts required to fix it. After ensuring the vessel was in no immediate danger, the seaboat returned and collected some food and water from Middleton before returning it back.”
HMS Middleton gave the Coastguard an update on the situation and that the boat would require a tow.
Yarmouth Lifeboat was launched to tow the boat and HMS Middleton carried on to Weymouth.
This comes on the heels of MIN’s report about the Cruising Association welcoming Scotland’s order for marking lobster pot buoys, due to the number of life threatening accidents which take place each year as boats become entangled in lines.
Images courtesy of the Royal Navy
