12 hour service for Sennen Cove RNLI volunteers to disabled trawler.
On Sunday morning 7 March at 5.30am HM Coastguard Falmouth requested the assistance of the Sennen Cove Tamar class lifeboat. They had received a call for assistance from a 32 metre fishing vessel that had been disabled about forty miles north-north-west of Pendeen lighthouse
The all-weather lifeboat City of London III launched at 5.50am,under the command of Second Coxswain Dan Shannon, with a total of six volunteer crew on board.
With good visibility and a relatively calm sea the lifeboat made best speed arriving on scene around 7.30am.
A line was passed to the casualty vessel and a tow established using the new issue towing equipment that the RNLI volunteer crew had only been trained to use on their most recent exercise launch.
The Tamar class lifeboat started towing the casualty to the vessel’s home port of Newlyn, over 50 miles away at 7.45am.
Steady progress was made towing the heavily laden vessel in fine weather with the lifeboat and casualty arriving at the approaches to Newyln Harbour at 4.55pm, a tow of just over 9 hours.
The City of London III passed the casualty vessel into the care of its owners who manoeuvred her into the safety of Newyln Harbour.
The lifeboat left Newlyn for Sennen Cove where she was recovered up the long slip at 5.50pm and refuelled after a round trip of over 100 miles.
Ends.
Notes to editors
For more information please telephone Brian Simpson, RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 01736 871631, or 07762 057127 or [email protected], or Tim Stevens, Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer on 07971518403 or [email protected] or Marianne Quinn, Regional Media Officer on 07786 668847 or [email protected], or contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789
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For more information on the RNLI please visit rnli.org. News releases and other media resources, including RSS feeds, downloadable photos and video, are available at the RNLI News Centre rnli.org/news-and-media.
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 over 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 142,200 lives.
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 142,700 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter 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.