Looe RNLI volunteers assist in a multi agency search along West Looe quayside

Pagers alerted Looe RNLI volunteers at 3.24 am following reports of persons in the water off West Looe quay. They launched the D Class inshore lifeboat Ollie Naismith to assist Police, Newquay Coastguard rescue helicopter and Coastguard teams from Looe, Tamar and Polruan. Other crew members who responded to the call checked along the harbour quays. For two hours the lifeboat crew and shore teams conducted an extensive search of the river, quaysides, estuary and moored boats, finding nothing, the lifeboat was stood down and returned to station at 5.40 am.

Following a daylight search of the river by specialist divers and review of CCTV footage, the following multi agency statement about the incident has been released by the Looe Music Festival management team with the Police, Looe Harbour Commissioners, HM Coastguard and RNLI.

‘An extensive multi-agency search of West Looe quayside was carried out last night following reports of a person falling in the water after a disturbance on the quay. Search and rescue teams have been called-off and police enquiries have now been concluded.

Following a multi-agency search of the river and coastline, all agencies involved are satisfied that no one has come to harm in the water and there are no outstanding missing persons. The 999 call was made with good intent. Enquiries have revealed a minor disturbance involving two men who have been traced and are both fit and well.

Witnesses have also confirmed that two youths were seen in the water on East Looe but both left the river safely.

These two unrelated incidents initiated a full response from emergency services, Looe Harbour Commissioners and the management team of Looe Music Festival.

Looe Harbour’s extensive CCTV coverage confirmed that no one had fallen in the water as a result of the disturbance.

The matter was addressed quickly as a result of communication and cooperation between all involved, leading to a swift and positive outcome.’

END

Note to editors

Photos:

· No photographs of this incident are available

· Stock image Looe RNLI D Class Ollie Naismith Photo credit RNLI/Ian Foster

· For further information on Looe RNLI Lifeboats please visit our website www.looelifeboats.co.uk

RNLI media contacts

For more information please telephone Ian Foster, RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for Looe Lifeboat Station, on 07902 753228 or looelpo@ianfoster.com or ian_foster@rnli.org.uk

or

Amy Caldwell, RNLI Public Relations Manager, on 07920 818807 or amy_caldwell@rnli.org.uk

or

Carrie Garrad, RNLI Press Officer, on 07786 668847 or carrie_garrad@rnli.org.uk

Alternatively you can contact the RNLI Duty Press Officer on 01202 336789.

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The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is the charity that saves lives at sea. Our volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service in the United Kingdom and Ireland from 238 lifeboat stations, including four along the River Thames and inland lifeboat stations at Loch Ness, Lough Derg, Enniskillen, Carrybridge and Lough Ree. Additionally the RNLI has more than 1,000 lifeguards on over 240 beaches around the UK and operates a specialist flood rescue team, which can respond anywhere across the UK and Ireland when inland flooding puts lives at risk.

The RNLI relies on public donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. As a charity it is separate from, but works alongside, government-controlled and funded coastguard services. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824 our lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved at least 140,000 lives. Volunteers make up 95% of the charity, including 4,600 volunteer lifeboat crew members and 3,000 volunteer shore crew. Additionally, tens of thousands of other dedicated volunteers raise funds and awareness, give safety advice, and help in our museums, shops and offices.

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