Fowey RNLI lifeboat crew rescue 4 people and dog
On July 30 Fowey lifeboat station received a request from the coastguard to assist a 25ft motor boat that had broken down 4 nautical miles south of Polperro and was drifting at sea. On board the vessel were four people and a dog.
The Fowey volunteer lifeboat crew launched their all-weather lifeboat at 5.28pm and travelled at best speed to the location. On arrival the crew established that the boat’s engine was running but had lost drive. The cox, Lewis Bingley, set up a tow and the lifeboat towed the vessel back to the safety of Fowey harbour.
One of the people on board the motor boat said: ‘Thank you so much for our tow back to Fowey earlier. Seeing the lifeboat in the distance on their way to us was the best feeling! You do an amazing job and very much appreciated.’
Once the lifeboat had towed the motor boat back to Fowey, harbour patrol took the boat to a safe mooring.
Fortunately the crew on board had a means of calling for help so were able to alert the coastguard. As the busy summer boating season continues, Fowey lifeboat volunteers are reminding people to take safety precautions before heading out to sea. Machinery failure is the largest single cause of RNLI call-outs and boaters are urged to carry out regular, basic maintenance checks, to carry adequate tools and spares and to always carry a means of calling for help.
This was the first shout as cox of the all-weather lifeboat for Lewis Bingley, since he passed out as cox last year.
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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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.