Falmouth RNLI volunteers assist a lady and her dog to safety
Falmouth’s relief Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat was launched at 2.25pm yesterday afternoon (Sunday 19 February) to assist a lady and her dog cut off by the tide on rocks at East Portholland.
The inshore lifeboat arrived on scene at 2.48pm where there was a force 3 onshore wind blowing and a slight sea. The Mevagissey and St Austell Coastguard teams together with the Portscatho Coastguard Rescue Team had also been tasked to assist.
A Mevagissey Coastguard swimmer swam out to check and stabilise the stranded casualty and to help with her extraction off the rocks. Because of the rocky environment and conditions, the lifeboat crew employed a technique called veering down to reach the casualty. The lifeboats anchor was dropped and with tension being kept on the rope, the lifeboat was safely backed down to the casualty’s position on the rocks where the lady and her dog were helped aboard unharmed. They were then taken to waiting Coastguard teams at West Portholland.
The lifeboat crew and Coastguard teams had demonstrated good multi-team skills to extract the casualty and her dog to safety.
The lifeboat crew were released from service at 3.30pm and returned to station.
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For more information please contact Simon Culliford, RNLI Volunteer Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer on 07971986978 or
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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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