
Looe RNLI volunteers investigate an empty blue tender drifting off Polperro
After receiving confirmation that a blue tender found drifting ½ mile off Polperro had broken free of its moorings in Fowey, Looe RNLI volunteer crew towed the craft back to Looe harbour
Whilst dealing with an incident on the coast path between Talland and Polperro, this morning, Sunday 23 July, Looe Coastguard Rescue team members were alerted to a blue boat drifting ½ mile off Polperro. The team informed Falmouth MRCC that the tender looked to be unoccupied, so Falmouth MRCC tasked our RNLI volunteer crew to investigate. Shortly after pagers had sounded at 1.05 pm the charity’s Atlantic 85 Sheila and Dennis Tongue II launched to investigate. Arriving on scene our crew found a 12 foot blue tender drifting, unoccupied, in the SW wind. There were no obvious signs of anyone being on board the tender and the outboard motor was cold and tilted out of the water, indicating it had not been used recently. Our crew then found a Fowey Harbour Commissioners sticker of the tender and after a few phone calls were able to ascertain the tender had broken free from its moorings on Fowey River and drifted, unoccupied, along the coast towards Polperro in the SW winds. With confirmation that nobody was in distress, our helm decided the best course of action would be to tow the tender back to the nearest port. With the tide falling, our crew considered getting into Polperro harbour could be difficult so they decided to tow the tender into Looe harbour. Making steady progress towing the tender back to Looe, our crew moored it alongside East Looe quayside to await collection by its owner later in the afternoon.
Our volunteer helm, Clive Palfrey said “the presence of the Fowey harbour sticker helped us to confirm quickly the tender had broken from its moorings and no one was in difficulties. Clive says “this shows the importance of all boats, canoes, kayaks and SUPs being marked with owner contact details which in this instance prevented a full scale search just in case someone was in distress”.
The Atlantic 85 returned to the lifeboat station where it was refuelled and washed down. In a phone call to Falmouth MRCC advising them we were ready for our next service; they asked if a casualty care crew member could assist a female who had fallen on the sea defences along East Looe beach. A few of our crew members made their way over on foot to provide casualty care until the female was handed over into the care of Looe Coastguard Rescue team and Ambulance paramedics.
END.
Notes to editors
Photos:
· Looe RNLI Atlantic 85 Sheila and Dennis Tongue II towing the tender into Looe
Photo credit Looe RNLI / Ian Foster
· Looe RNLI Atlantic 85 Sheila and Dennis Tongue II towing the tender in Looe river
Photo credit Looe RNLI / Ian Foster
Information
· 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 II
· 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 Emma Haines, RNLI Regional Media Officer, on 07866 668847 or [email protected]
Alternatively you can contact the RNLI Duty Press Officer on 01202 336789Key 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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