Plymouth RNLI volunteers launch to help lone yachtsman

Plymouth All Weather Lifeboat (Sybil Mullen Glover) launched on service this morning at 6:40am with 7 volunteer crew to a 28ft yacht with 1 person on board.

The All Weather Lifeboat located the casualty vessel shortly after 7am south of Rame Head and under the Queen's Harbour Masters instruction established a tow back to Plymouth Yacht Haven.

ALB and crew returned to station 9:45am and after a bit of extra time cleaning under the new COVID-19 procedures the ALB is ready for service.

This is the 22nd launch of 2020 for the volunteer crew.

We are separate from the Coastguard and independent from the government.

As a charity we are reliant on voluntary donations to power our lifesaving work.

95% of RNLI people are volunteers. Our volunteers are the lifeblood of our charity, supported by expert staff working in partnership to enable communities to save lives.

In 2019 the Plymouth RNLI launched the charity’s lifeboat’s 174 times and with a busy start to 2020 launching on service now 22 times it is more important than ever to support the RNLI.

People donate and raise money for us in all sorts of ways. To donate, visit RNLI.org/donate

or: Donate now: http://bit.ly/2U033eZ

Please do not visit the Plymouth RNLI Station it is closed to the public.

Only operational crew are permitted at the station.

The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea.

If you see someone in trouble Dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard

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.