Mayday call: Scarborough lifeboat in night-time 'shout' to stricken vessel in raging storm

The stricken vessel, 69 nautical miles out to sea, was also taking on water and struggling against the weather.

Storm Corrie was raging, with a six-metre swell and a force 10 north-westerly wind.

Fortunately, the crew of four managed to repair the engine and the lifeboat returned to base.

The lifeboat launched at 2.45am on Monday and returned at 9am.

Guard vessels are used to protect oil and gas platforms and other installations at sea, making sure other vessels keep clear.

A Mayday call is used to signal a life-threatening emergency primarily by mariners and aviators. Convention requires the word be repeated three times in a row during the initial emergency declaration ("Mayday mayday mayday") to prevent it being mistaken for some similar-sounding phrase under noisy conditions, and to distinguish an actual mayday call from a message about a mayday call.