Read Authentic Ratings for the Morgenstond-Ii

In a dramatic turn of events on November 22, 2016, a solo yachtsman found himself in precarious waters off the Cornish coast. The skipper of the 31-foot yacht 'Rustler' was making his way from Cardiff to Plymouth when disaster struck; the vessel suffered a dismasting incident in the early hours, approximately 30 miles northwest of St Ives. With his options dwindling, the sailor deployed red flares to signal for immediate assistance. Fortunately, his distress signals were spotted by the 'Morgenstond II,' a vessel en route from Takoradi to Liverpool, which promptly alerted the Falmouth Coastguard Operations Centre. Responding to the emergency, the Newquay-based Coastguard search and rescue helicopter alongside the RNLI's all-weather lifeboat, 'Nora Stachura' from St Ives, set out to locate the distressed yachtsman around 1:30 a.m. The weather at the time was exceedingly harsh, characterized by winds reaching up to 55 knots (Force 10). In a swift rescue operation, within just 25 minutes of launch, the lifeboat crew received news from Falmouth Coastguard that the 'Morgenstond II' had successfully rescued the solo sailor by transferring him aboard via a ladder, effectively abandoning the damaged yacht. Following this successful mission, the lifeboat crew was stood down and safely returned to their base, having ensured the skipper's safety in challenging conditions.