Salcombe's volunteer RNLI lifeboat crew answer an early morning Mayday call
At 4:19am Monday morning (21 December) Salcombe's volunteer lifeboat crew launched the all weather lifeboat in response to a Mayday call from a 25ft yacht which had run aground on rocks at Nestley Point on the northern side of Start Point.
Weather conditions at the scene were extremely poor adding an extra risk to any evacuation of casualties. With the yacht in danger of breaking up and the casualties partially submerged it was decided to launch the Y boat with two crew members aboard, for a rapid extraction of the casualties.
The two male casualties were recovered from the water by the volunteer crew, and transferred onto the all weather lifeboat and taken safely back to Salcombe where an ambulance was waiting.
For the second time in two days the incident saw how well the emergency services work together with both Prawle Point Coastguard Rescue Team and Coastguard Helicopter assisting in the rescue.
The rescue comes at the end of a challenging year for Salcombe RNLI and the charity as a whole.
Throughout the pandemic, the crew at Salcombe have been ready to answer the pager and rescue those in difficulty and will continue to be ready to serve throughout the Christmas period.
As a charity, the RNLI relies on the support of the public to continue saving lives – and that support is needed now more than ever. Help us brave a wave we never expected. To make a donation to the RNLI’s Christmas Appeal visit: RNLI.org/Xmas
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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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
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