Looe's lifeboats had to be launched this week after a fishing boat lost its steering in the harbour. The 8.9-metre Le Bon Heur, PH600, had been manoeuvring in the harbour when its steering failed on Tuesday evening. With the incoming tide sweeping the vessel rapidly towards the bridge linking East and West Looe, the skipper made an emergency call for assistance. The port's lifeboats, the Atlantic 'Alan & Margaret' and D Class 'Ollie Naismith' launched at 6.30pm and headed up the river to where Le Bon Heur was drifting towards the bridge. The lifeboats managed to attach a line and tow the trawler, which has been operating out of Looe for the last one to two months, back to a mooring in the harbour. Harbourmaster Jeff Penhaligon said later that the combination of the loss of the vessel's steering and the powerful incoming tide left the skipper with no choice but to call for help. Inspection There had been no threat to the bridge as it was still low water, but had it struck, the 4.9-tonne boat would have come off worst. Mr Penhaligon said that as was usual practice following such an incident the Maritime and Coastguard Agency would be carrying out an inspection before the vessel returned to sea. Both lifeboats went back to their station and were ready for duty again from 7.30pm.