Busy Bank Holiday weekend for Fowey RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew

At 6.01pm on Friday 27 August, Fowey RNLI’s inshore D class lifeboat crew launched. They responded to a call from the National Coastwatch Institute in Carlyon Bay, who had spotted three people in danger of being stranded on Polmear Island, a spot notorious for being cut off by the tide. Tidal cut-off is a major cause of RNLI call-outs and people are advised to always check the tide times, carry a means of calling for help and to tell someone else where they are going. Fortunately on this occasion Fowey’s lifeboat crew were not required and the shout was cancelled shortly after launch.

In a separate call-out at 8.12pm on Monday 30 August, Fowey’s lifeboat crew responded to a call from the St Austell Coastguard. There was an urgent requirement to rescue a 49 year old man who had injured himself after jumping off Charlestown Pier. Fowey’s D class inshore lifeboat launched, travelling to Charlestown as fast as it was safe to do so, to assist the coastguard who had recovered the man from the water. The man had badly injured his leg and was in acute pain, so the Fowey crew were also tasked with bringing pain relief for the casualty. They supported the coastguard and South Western Ambulance Service at the harbour and, working with the emergency services and the coastguard team, the injured man was recovered and taken to hospital.

Chris Ogg, RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager for Fowey, said: ‘Jumping or tombstoning off piers is a high-risk activity, and hazards such as submerged rocks or low tides can cause significant injuries. Fortunately a member of the public raised the alarm and a collaborative effort between the RNLI, coastguard rescue team and emergency services resulted in the man being safely rescued in this instance.’

Chris continued: ‘Our volunteer crews had not finished their work for the evening though. At the same time as the rescue in Charlestown, our crew responded to a call from the Falmouth lifeboat to help tow in a twin engine 32ft motor boat that had lost its propeller. After arriving at the pontoon in Fowey Harbour, the boat was subsequently lifted out of the water and taken to a local boatyard for repairs. This weekend rounded off what has been a busy August for Fowey RNLI, where we have faced some challenging weather conditions and call-outs including a stranded vessel and a nasty leg injury onboard a yacht.’

Video credit: D class lifeboat video clip courtesy of Louise Harrison
Photo credit: Fowey crew assisting Falmouth lifeboat courtesy of Olie Luck

Notes to editors

· Fowey lifeboat station has been operating for nearly 150 years. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to:
https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/fowey-lifeboat-station

· A photo of Fowey’s lifeboat can be viewed at: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/fowey-lifeboat-station

RNLI media contacts

For more information please telephone Cathy Baillie, RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07787 709986 or [email protected] or Emma Haines, Regional Press Officer [email protected] and 07786 668847 or contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.

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.

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