St Ives ILB launched to a broken down inflatable with 4 people onboard

Wednesday 31 May 2017

The St Ives Inshore Lifeboat was launched following a call from St Ives NCI to Falmouth Coastguard, to assist 4 people in a small inflatable boat that appeared to have broken down off the back of The Island & was drifting.

The inshore lifeboat (ILB) was launched at 11:53am on Wednesday 31 May 2017 in flat calm conditions, with David Chard at the helm & crewed by Jack Coop, Nick Phillips and Jake Martin.

Arriving at the dinghy, the family of four reported that their engine had stopped working after setting off from Porthgwidden Beach.

The family of four were transferred to Stuart Clary-Blom’s local fishing boat while the ILB

crew towed the dinghy back to Porthgwidden, after which the family were taken back aboard the ILB and taken back to the beach, before the ILB and volunteer crew returned to the boathouse.

Talking after the rescue, Martin Blakeway and his family from Birmingham, regular visitors to St Ives, said that they had been out on their boat mackerel fishing the day before, but that when they went out today, the engine cut out, leaving them drifting heavily towards Porthmeor. Mr Blakeway said that although they were happy to attempt to return to St Ives under their own steam, they were glad of the assistance from the RNLI who were there in just 5 minutes, saying that ‘the RNLI were amazing, top people.’

Notes to editors

Please credit photos to St Ives RNLI/Alban Roinard. More photos available.
ILB helm David Chard is available for interview

Media Contacts

Derek Hall / Alban Roinard St Ives RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on

07814541880 / email: [email protected] or Amy Caldwell, RNLI Public

Relations Manager (South), on 07920 818 807

St Ives inshore lifeboat towing the dinghy

ILB helm David Chard with crew Nick Phillips, Jack Coop and Jake Martin

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.

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St Ives ILB launched to a broken down inflatable with 4 people onboard

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