Cargo ship Swanland saved from Lizard Point grounding
- Published
The MCA's emergency towing vessel Anglian Princess is towing the ship into Falmouth
Falmouth Coastguard has coordinated the rescue of a ship which nearly grounded on rocks at Lizard Point, Cornwall.
The alarm was raised after the Swanland's engines failed in the early hours.
The cargo vessel, with its crew of nine, began drifting towards the rocks in strong winds and rough seas.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said the skipper of the vessel had to be persuaded to accept help from its emergency towing vessel.
The RNLI's Penlee all weather lifeboat was launched and a helicopter from RNAS Culdrose put on standby.
Andy Cattrell, the duty watch manager at Falmouth, said: "This vessel came very close to going aground on Lizard Point.
"The Penlee lifeboat was on scene ready to take the crew off if the vessel came within one nautical mile of the shore."
The Swanland, which was en route to London with a cargo of stone aboard, is now being towed into Falmouth.
No-one was injured.