On Friday a yacht ran aground after attempting to rescue a stranded sportsboat. When a passing motor cruiser tried to help, the boat became so damaged that the crew were forced to leave the two stranded vessels.

The small sportsboat suffered a mechanical failure when approaching Sovereign Harbour and was swept onto the rocks of the harbour arm. The lock keeper saw the incident and called Dover Coastguard.

At the same time a 32ft yacht went to their assistance, and began to tow the sportsboat and the three crew clear of the rocks. She suffered an engine failure and also went aground.

A motor cruiser tried to tow the two vessels clear, but only managed to damage the boat and had to abort the attempt.

When the RNLI inshore lifeboat appeared, the sportsboat was towed to the harbour locks. The lifeboat returned to the yacht, but despite the help of the harbour workboat they couldn’t break her free from the sand on the falling tide.

The all weather lifeboat was called away from the ‘Airbourne’ airshow to help rescue the yacht before time ran out, and dragged the yacht from the sand to the safety of the marina.

The ALB was later called to assist a yacht with engine failure that had been at anchor all day at the airshow, and the inshore lifeboat was called to a jet ski which had broken down outside Sovereign Harbour.