
Rock climbers grateful thanks
A rock climber has written to the Penlee RNLI Volunteers thanking them for their assistance during his rescue.
The event we published on the day after 28th March was this…
The RNLI Penlee Lifeboat received a tasking request from Falmouth Coastguard at 19:19 on Monday 27th March, after receiving reports of a fallen rock climber near Rinsey Head.
The RNLI’s Severn Class Lifeboat ’Ivan Ellen’ launched immediately under the command of Coxswain Patch Harvey and 6 other crew members arriving on scene in just under 20 mins.
Using searchlights and a thermal imaging camera, the lifeboat started a shoreline search from Rinsey heading east and located the casualty east side of Trewavas Head. Penlee Lifeboat notified the Coastguard Rescue Teams from Penzance and Porthleven and kept searchlights on the casualty until the Search and Rescue Helicopter 924 arrived on scene with the Coastguard Rescue Teams to stabilise the casualty and prepare him for a helicopter transfer.
The rescued climber ‘Matt’ wrote to us with a card:
“Dear RNLI Penlee Lifeboat Station.
Thank you for your brave help and search and rescue mission carried out on the 27th March at Rinsey Head.
I was so lost in a world of panic and pain and then my friend said you were there watching us and providing light to such a dark situation.
Although you couldn’t land to support us knowing you were down below as we waited for more help to arrive was so comforting.
You, every single one of you on that boat became literally and mentally the light of my life.
Thank you for your relented year around service.
Your help is so precious to those in need.”
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.
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