Peel lifeboat volunteers honoured for night yacht rescue and Mayday response

Volunteers from Peel Lifeboat Station have received RNLI commendations for their work on two difficult call-outs, Energy FM has reported. The awards recognise their skill at sea, the medical care they gave casualties and how well they worked together.

Coxswain Mike Faragher and crew member Juan Owens were each awarded the Chief Executive’s Commendation for their part in a yacht rescue in August 2024.

HM Coastguard had asked for Peel’s all-weather lifeboat to launch without delay after being told that a boat had gone down 17 nautical miles to the west, with people reported in the water. The crew left harbour in the dark and faced Force 7 winds and a heavy swell.

On reaching the scene, they found a dismasted yacht with three people aboard. It was too rough to move them safely across to the lifeboat, the Frank and Brenda Winter, so Mr Owens boarded the yacht alongside a volunteer from Donaghadee RNLI.

Together they cut away the broken mast and rigging to allow a tow line to be rigged. The yacht was then towed back to Peel, and all three people on board were brought ashore safely.

Mr Faragher was also given the Medical Director’s Commendation, which he shares with Chloe Spooner, Jason Spooner, Neil Moore and Will Senior. That award relates to a call-out in 2025.

The crew were already at sea on a routine training session when a Mayday came in over VHF. A small boat around seven miles away was reported to be filling with water. With Mr Faragher in command, the lifeboat headed there as fast as it could. Energy FM reported that the care the crew gave on scene helped to save a life.

Tony Elder, a trainee who was on board for the exercise, helped the crew during the call-out and has been presented with an RNLI certificate by the station.

Paul Thompson, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Peel RNLI, said the awards “recognise some of the very best qualities of our volunteers”.

Of the Medical Director’s Commendations, he said they “recognise outstanding casualty care when every second counted”. He added: “We are incredibly proud of everyone involved.”