Looe lifeboats launch to rescue an injured kayaker

Yesterday evening, Monday 22 June, Falmouth coastguard operations centre received a call from a female who had injured her leg after falling from a kayak. Along with her partner, they had managed to get ashore at a small cove to the west of Portwrinkle, from where they raised the alarm. Our volunteer RNLI crew pagers sounded at 4.57 pm. Eight minutes later, the charity’s D Class inshore lifeboat Ollie Naismith with Dan Margetts at the helm was launched by tractor driver Eric Candy, supported by head launcher Nick Pope with shore crew Dave Jackman and Jack Spree. Immediately afterwards they launched the Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat Sheila and Dennis Tongue II.

Arriving on scene our crew faced challenging conditions with waves breaking close to shore due to the freshening onshore wind and flooding tide. This is known as a shore dump, crew Toby Bray later commented that they had to land the crew at the far side of the beach as the water goes from ankle deep to chest high in one wave. Once on the beach, crew Victoria Thomas and Aaron Rix assessed the casualty and administered casualty care. The Atlantic 85, helmed by Matt Jaycock, with crew Clive Palfrey and Goron Jones stood by offshore to provide a communications link to the coastguard and ambulance teams waiting at Portwrinkle harbour. With her leg bandaged, the casualty and her partner were extracted from the beach onboard the D Class inshore lifeboat. Crew Toby Bray and Aaron Rix stayed on the beach to ensure the D Class left the beach safely through the surf. Escorted by the Atlantic 85, Dan and Victoria, on the D Class, took the casualty to a waiting ambulance at Portwrinkle harbour. The lifeboats then returned to the cove to pick up Toby and Aaron, together with the casualty’s kayak and gear. After taking the kayak back to Portwrinkle, both lifeboats returned to station where they were washed down, refuelled, and made ready for their next service by 7.30 pm.

END

Notes to editors

Photos:

· Looe RNLI D Class Ollie Naismith on the beach at Portwrinkle with volunteer crew Toby Bray
Photo credit RNLI / Dan Margetts

· Looe RNLI D Class Ollie Naismith returning to Looe
Photo credit RNLI / Ian Foster

· Looe RNLI Atlantic 85 Sheila and Dennis Tongue II returning to Looe
Photo credit RNLI / Ian Foster

Information

· Re-established as an inshore lifeboat station in 1992, Looe RNLI operate two inshore lifeboats
An Atlantic 85 Sheila and Dennis Tongue II and a D Class Ollie Naismith

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

· Looe RNLI Facebook page www.facebook.com/LooeRNLI

RNLI media contacts

For more information please telephone Ian Foster, RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for Looe Lifeboat Station, on 07902 753228 or [email protected] or [email protected]

or Amy Caldwell, RNLI Regional Media Manager, on 07920 818807 or [email protected]

or Marianne Quinn, RNLI Regional Media Officer, on 07786 668847 or [email protected]

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.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.