RNLI volunteers from Falmouth worked late into the night to rescue a Devon trawler after its propeller became fouled 17 miles out into the English Channel on Friday.
The all weather lifeboat launched at around 8.45pm to help the five crew on the 29 metre MFV Jacomina, from Brixham, which had run into trouble in shipping lanes south east of Falmouth.
The boat had been recovering its gear when a discarded trawl which had been brought up on the scallop dredge was drawn into the engine and stopped the propeller, damaging the gearbox.
When the lifeboat arrived, a tow line was passed to the vessel, and the crew began the tow back to Falmouth passing St Anthony lighthouse around 1am, when the tow was shortened up, reaching Governor Buoy 15 minutes later, where the tow was dropped and the lifeboat was secured alongside the Jacomina.
The lifeboat then manoeuvred the trawler into a berth at Fal Fish in Falmouth Docks, where it was safely secured, and arrangements were made for divers to help freeing the propeller, allowing the boat to leave Falmouth and head back towards Brixham by early afternoon.
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