RNLI Torbay lifeboat called out twice as pirates head for Brixham …

The crew’s pagers were first alerted at around 3.15am on the morning of Thursday 3 May, tasked to reports that a fisherman had fallen from the quayside in Brixham, landing on his boat some distance below at low tide and sustaining a possible serious hip injury. The all-weather volunteer lifeboat crew were quickly on scene and able to extract the fisherman from the vessel to the pontoon, where a waiting land ambulance crew transported the casualty to hospital. Local coastguard teams were also in attendance.

Later the same morning (at around 9.15am) many watched as beautiful Spanish ship El Galeon Andalucia sailed majestically into Brixham’s harbour where she moored alongside the Visitor Pontoon in readiness for the town’s popular Pirate Festival which takes place over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Around lunchtime at 1.55pm the RNLI volunteer crew were tasked again, this time to 28.6' yacht (Kumuka) which had completely de-masted around 2 miles east of the Ore Stone. The volunteer crew of Severn Class all-weather lifeboat Alec & Christina Dykes attended, assisting in removing the rigging, tangled mast and cutting away the sail which freed the yacht to proceed cautiously under engine power to a safe mooring in Brixham Marina, escorted by the lifeboat.

Despite losing the vessel’s mast, two persons on board the yacht were thankfully uninjured, and the lifeboat crew arrived back in Brixham at around 4pm. Local coastguards teams were again in attendance. The Alec & Christina Dykes returned to station to refuel, and was ready for any further activity - piratical or otherwise! - at the start of what promises to be a very busy weekend in Brixham.

Notes to editors

Photographs show the RNLI all-weather lifeboat returning to station, the dismasted yacht Kumuka and El Galeon Andalucia (credit RNLI/V Bowen)

Torbay Lifeboat Station Key Facts:

• Torbay lifeboat station has been operating since 1866. To learn more about the station go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/torbay-lifeboat-station
• Coxswain of Torbay Lifeboat is Mark Criddle
• Further information on Torbay Lifeboat Station’s local activities can be found at: http://www.torbaylifeboat.co.uk/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rnlitorbay
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/RNLITorbay

RNLI media contacts

Victoria Bowen, RNLI Torbay Lifeboat Press Officer

07794 043 428 or [email protected]

Emma Haines, RNLI Regional Media Officer:

01752 854450 or [email protected]

Carrie Garrad, RNLI Regional Media Officer

07786 668 847 or [email protected]

or RNLI Public Relations at Poole HQ on 01202 336 789 (24 hours)

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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