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Two firsts of the year for Newquay RNLI as crew called to assist in search

Lifeboats News Release

Newquay's RNLI lifeboat volunteers were paged for the first time in 2025 at 8.27am on Sunday (19 January) and requested to carry out a shoreline search after clothing and personal items were found on the footbridge at Porth Island.

View from top of cliff, with granite rocks in the foreground as Newquay inshore lifeboat searches white water around Porth Island

Newquay Coastguard

Newquay RNLI inshore lifeboat crew searching the coastline around Porth Island during Sunday's shout
Newquay RNLI crew launched both of the charity's inshore lifeboats and searched the area in a moderate south easterly breeze and slight seas alongside police, Coastguard rescue teams from Newquay & Padstow and the Coastguard search & rescue helicopter.

It was later confirmed that the person had been found safe at home and the lifeboat crew were stood down with thanks at 9.20am, returning both boats to the station at 10am once they had been made ready for the next call.

As well as being the first shout of the year for Newquay lifeboat crew, this was also the first shout for one of the RNLI station's newly qualified Launch Authorities, Ann-Marie Dale, during her first duty week in her new role, in which she's responsible for authorising the launch of Newquay's RNLI lifeboats 24 hours-a-day, in the event of a launch request being received from the Coastguard.

Local property landlord and former NHS communications specialist, Ann-Marie first volunteered at Newquay RNLI as deputy lifeboat press officer in 2019, before expanding her involvement at the station to become shore crew in 2021 and lifeboat press officer in 2022, both roles she maintains alongside launch authority, which she qualified as last November.

Ann-Marie said: 'Being a launch authority is a big responsibility but it's no different to the commitment shown by every other RNLI volunteer. I'd been checking my pager was still switched on all week and I thought I'd be nervous, but when it went off for my first shout as launch authority, when I was at home getting ready to go to the station for our Sunday morning exercise, I was fine. I stayed calm and remembered the training and advice I'd been given by my colleagues. The shout was a good team effort and a positive outcome for everyone involved'.


Notes to editors

Main picture: Newquay RNLI inshore lifeboat crew searching the coastline around Porth Island during Sunday's shout. Credit: Newquay Coastguard.

Newquay lifeboat station first opened in 1860. Today’s RNLI volunteers operate two inshore lifeboats and are on call 24-hours-a-day to save lives at sea off north Cornwall.

RNLI media contacts
For more information please contact Andy Hobkinson, volunteer Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer at [email protected] or 07880 507464 or Emma Haines, RNLI Regional Communications Manager at [email protected] or 07786 668847 or contact the RNLI Press Office (24 hours) on 01202 336789.
Newquay RNLI lifeboat press officer and newly qualified Launch Authority, Ann-Marie Dale attending a service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey with the station's Lifeboat Operations Manager, Gareth Horner, to mark the charity's 200th anniversary on 4 March 2024. Both are dressed in their smart RNLI guernseys, stood in front of the abbey with lifeboat crew from other stations in the background.

RNLI

Newquay RNLI lifeboat press officer and newly qualified Launch Authority, Ann-Marie Dale attending the service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey with the station's Lifeboat Operations Manager, Gareth Horner, to mark the charity's 200th anniversary on 4 March 2024.

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.

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