Donate now

Penlee RNLI lifeboat crew have received Silver Medal for Gallantry Certificates

Lifeboats News Release

At an event at Penlee Lifeboat Station on 11th Oct 24 Penlee RNLI lifeboat crew were honoured by the charity for a dramatic rescue in hurricane conditions on October 31, 2022, where eight people were rescued from a disabled yacht off Pedngwinian Point near Porthleven.

Team with certificates

RNLI/Philip Monckton

The Penlee Lifeboat crew awarded Silver Medal for Gallantry certificates.

Coxswain Patch Harvey, Mechanic Marcel Le Breton, Navigator James Roberts and crew members Will Treneer, Adrian Thomas, Dan Sell and Trevelyan Worth have all been awarded the RNLI’s Silver Medal for Gallantry Certificates for their courage, determination and teamwork under pressure and in extreme conditions.


And the crew of the HM Coastguard helicopter based at Newquay were also awarded by the RNLI for their outstanding lifesaving actions. Captain Debdash Bhattacharya, Co-Pilot Mark Coupland, Winch Operator Jason Bibby and the Winch Paramedic Carlton Real.


The awards were presented by Tom Mansell, RNLI lifesaving lead and Janet Madron chair Penlee Lifeboat Station.


The rescue of the eight sailors took place on the evening of Halloween, October 31, 2022. The Severn class all-weather lifeboat Ivan Ellen was launched at 8.30pm under the command of Coxswain Patch Harvey, to go to the aid of a 40-ft sailing vessel that was disabled and taking on water approximately two miles off Porthleven with eight people on board.


Patch immediately realised the severe predicament the yacht’s crew were in. They were being blown towards the shore, the beach to the south of Porthleven is known for its dumping waves and heavy undertow.


The storm conditions were extremely dangerous, with winds gusting to 87knots, hurricane force, waves of six to seven metres, and poor visibility due to darkness and heavy, driving rain. Spray from the breaking waves was regularly covering the lifeboat.


On scene, Patch considered the conditions and yacht’s movement, and decided the best course of action was to transfer the casualties into a liferaft and then into the lifeboat. The skipper of the French yacht spoke little English but was able to confirm they didn’t have a big enough liferaft or enough lifejackets for all eight people onboard, and some were severely seasick.


With this information, Patch instructed his crew to prepare a towline, which despite the challenging conditions on the deck, they did very quickly. The heaving line was passed successfully, and the lifeboat began a slow tow away from the shore. Communicating with the casualty vessel via VHF radio, it transpired that the line had parted and the yacht was again adrift. The lifeboat crew worked hard to haul in the 200m heavy, wet towline on the aft deck. At this point the lifeboat was rolling heavily, solid waves were breaking regularly on the deck and wind spray was often completely engulfing the upper steering position, where Patch was controlling the lifeboat. The lifeboat crew on the aft deck were often up to their waists in moving water, and any of these waves had the potential to wash a crew member overboard.


It appeared from the parted heaving line that the crew member on the casualty vessel had not managed to haul the tow line onboard properly and had instead secured the weaker heaving line, so Patch decided a second, and last attempt would be prepared.


It was at this point one of the RNLI volunteer crew members became severely ill, and was unable to continue in his role, so the team were one-hand down.


For this critical manoeuvre and last-ditch attempt to secure a tow, Patch came in very close to the yacht’s starboard side so the towline could be passed across with minimal line going into the water. At this point the waves were becoming increasingly confused as the depth shallowed. Patch used his exceptional boat handling skills to get the lifeboat in the correct position, and the line was successfully secured. The lifeboat began a slow tow to move the vessel further out to sea. Progress was slow, and the yacht was now taking on water through broken portholes, with the casualties up to their shins in water and some severely sea sick.


Due to the severe risk of life, Patch made the decision to request helicopter evacuation and the lifeboat continued to tow the yacht slowly out to sea, until the helicopter was on scene around 25 minutes later, diverted from another emergency on the Isles of Scilly. It took one hour for the crew of the coastguard helicopter to winch the eight casualty crewmembers to safety in the extreme conditions.


During this time, volunteer crew provided casualty care checks on their own crewmember who’d become unwell, with Patch going into the wheelhouse to check his condition.


Finally with all casualties off the vessel, and wind conditions decreasing, Patch increased speed to get his crewmember back to shore for further medical assistance and to recover the casualty vessel back into Newlyn Harbour. Penlee’s Atlantic 85 class inshore lifeboat was launched to assist with berthing the yacht safely and the all-weather lifeboat returned to her berth at 2.05am.


Once the casualty was secured alongside, three hi-lines were found tangled in the yacht’s rigging, which shows how difficult it was to successfully lower the winch-crew to the deck and is testament to the skill and tenacity of both the helicopter pilot and the winch-crew.


Tom Mansell, RNLI lifesaving lead praised all those involved in the rescue, the lifeboat crew, SAR helicopter crew and the crew of Penlee’s Atlantic 85 who turned out to help dock the casualty vessel. He said: “I have not seen a rescue in these conditions in my time with the RNLI, thank you.”


Janet Madron, chair of Penlee Lifeboat Station said: “I am so proud of the them all, such brave young men and Patch is a great leader and coxswain.”


Dickon Berriman, RNLI Area Lifesaving Manager, said: ‘We are incredibly proud of Patch and his crew for their bravery and courage in this incredibly difficult rescue. The crew spent over five hours at sea in extreme weather conditions close to a dangerous lee shore, and it took very high levels of courage, determination and teamwork to secure a successful outcome. Patch made difficult but sound decisions in a highly pressured environment to ensure the safety of the casualties and also his crew, and we’re delighted to see the efforts of he and his crew being recognised by the Institution.’


Volunteer Lifeboat Operations Manager at Penlee RNLI, David Pascoe, added: ‘We are all extremely proud of our lifeboat crew for their incredibly brave actions that night. The RNLI does not give out awards for gallantry lightly and to receive these is a great privilege both for the individuals and the lifeboat station.’


Claire Hughes, Director of HM Coastguard, said: “We never take for granted the commitment shown by all those who respond in maritime emergencies. Our crews, coastguards and friends in the RNLI are on standby 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to answer distress calls. The courage shown by all who took part in this challenging rescue is a reminder of how much we owe to people like this. This award is very much deserved and I am delighted that the work of the Newquay helicopter crew on that night, together with the RNLI is being honoured in this way.”



The last RNLI Silver Medal for Gallantry at Penlee was awarded in 1947 to Coxswain Edwin Madron, when he and his crew launched in a south-westerly gale and rough seas to rescue eight casualties from an obsolete battleship Warspite, which was being towed to a ship breakers yard.

Ends

Note to Editors

Penlee RNLI is based in Newlyn, Penzance, Cornwall TR18 5HW. The volunteers crew an all-weather Severn Class Lifeboat the Ivan Ellen and a B class Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat the Mollie and Ivor Dent. The Penlee Lifeboat has a rich 200 years history of saving lives at sea.

RNLI media contacts For more information, please contact Phil Monckton, Penlee Lifeboat Press Officer on 07879818095 or [email protected], or Amy Caldwell, RNLI Regional Communications Manager [email protected] or Emma Haines, RNLI Regional Communications Officer, on 07786 668847 or [email protected].

Group picture with madal.

RNLI/Philip Monckton

Penlee coxswain Patch Harvey and Silver Medal with wife Nina and son and crewman Morgan
Group picture with Silver Medal for Gallantry certificate

RNLI/Philip Monckton

Search & Rescue helicopter team with Tom Mansell and Janet Madron

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.

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.

Categories