A busy weekend for Looe RNLI volunteer crews

On Saturday, 2 July 2022, at 9.07 am, Looe RNLI volunteers received a crew assemble request. They were tasked to meet a local fishing charter boat which was returning to Looe with an injured passenger onboard. Meeting the boat on East Looe quayside our volunteer crew along with members of Looe Coastguard Rescue team assisted the casualty ashore into the lifeboat station and administered casualty care until the Ambulance service arrived.

At 8.41 am on Sunday morning, 3 July 2022, crew pagers sounded again requesting the immediate launch of the charity’s Atlantic 85, Sheila and Dennis Tongue II. Three persons on board a 18’ fishing boat had issued a pan pan message requesting assistance as their boat was suffering engine problems. Our volunteer crew soon arrived on scene, approx. 1 mile south of Looe Island. Unable to restart the engines due to electrical problems, and confirming none of the 3 occupants were injured, our helm, decided the best course of action was to tow the boat back to Looe. Establishing the tow, the boat was taken to a mooring on West Looe Quayside.

This was the first operational shout for Will Jaycock , one of our three new volunteer boat crew,

Whilst our volunteer crews were pleased to find the occupants on the boat were wearing lifejackets, the RNLI offers the following safety advice for anyone taking a boat out to sea.

• Always wear an appropriate lifejacket.
• Always carry a means of calling and signalling for help.
• Ensure there is an emergency action plan in place, and everybody has an onboard briefing (in particular on the location and use of the safety equipment, including the spare kill cord for powerboats).
• Get the right level of training for your craft.
• Always check the weather and tide times.
• Make sure someone ashore knows where you are going and who to call if you don't return on time.
• Always drive your boat at a speed that is appropriate to the weather conditions and to the environment you are operating in
• Knowing your boat, carrying spares and being able to fit them could make the difference between having to call for help and being able to help yourself

END

Notes to editors

Photos:

· Looe RNLI Atlantic 85 Sheila and Dennis Tongue II with the casualty vessel
Photo credit RNLI / Ian Foster

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

· Looe RNLI volunteer crew Will Jaycock after completing his first shout
Photo credit Looe RNLI / Ian Foster

Information

· RNLI safety advice for sailing and motorboating can be found at
https://rnli.org/safety/choose-your-activity/yacht-sailing-and-motorboating

· 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 Emily Hazard, RNLI Regional Media Officer, on 07866 064437 or [email protected]

Alternatively you can contact the RNLI Duty Press Officer 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.

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.