A yacht that suffered a complete night-time power failure in the Solent’s shipping lane has been towed to safety by the crew of the Cowes RNLI Lifeboat.

The solo skipper of Iszare anxiously alerted HM Coastguard via mobile phone on Saturday 26 November 2016.

The 26-foot yacht had broken down between Osborne Bay and Fishbourne, near Peel Bank on the Isle of Wight.

The sailor had been sailing from Southampton to Hayling Island when the incident happened.

In a media release, the RNLI said the lone skipper found he had “no power, lights or VHF radio after several abortive attempts to start the boat’s engine.”

The broken down yacht also caused concern to the port authority in Southampton.

“News of an unlit yacht drifting in the shipping lane particularly concerned Southampton’s port authority because of the impending arrival in the area of a large ship,” said the RNLI.

Cowes’ B class Atlantic lifeboat launched at 20.00.

It managed to locate the yacht after lifeboat crew member Anne Simkin picked out its silhouette against the illuminated Ryde Pier further to the east.

The yacht was then towed to Trinity Landing, Cowes, and the lifeboat returned to station.

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