The passenger ship Lady Helen struck bottom off Pembrokeshire, Wales.  The Lady Helen was en route to Skomer Island from Martin’s Haven with 48 passengers when it struck a rock.  The vessel sent out a distress call with the RNLI lifeboats from Angle and St David along with several vessels in the area.  The passenger ship Dale Princess was first on scene and pulled the Lady Helen off the rock.   The Dale Princess took the Lady Helen under tow and headed back to Martin’s Haven.  However, the Lady Helen had suffered hull damage and began to sink.  It was decided that all 48 passengers on the Lady Helen should be transferred to other vessels which had arrived on scene.  All passengers were safely transferred.  No reports of injuries or pollution released.  The Lady Helen was beached near Martin’s Haven to prevent it from sinking.  The RNLI brought additional dewatering pumps to control the flooding so that the Lady Helen can be pulled further up the shore.

 

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