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Kayak rescue for Penlee RNLI

Lifeboats News Release

Falmouth Coastguard tasked Penlee RNLI at about 4pm on 11 July 2026 to a paddle boarder at Pedngwinian Point, between Porthleven and Mullion.


Pictures shows lifeboat recovering kayaks

RNLI

Penlee RNLI recover kayaks
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Penlee’s All Weather lifeboat Ivan Ellen was launched immediately under the command of Coxswain James Roberts, Mechanic Amy Smith and a crew of 6 RNLI volunteers. On arrival they found a woman with 2 kayaks in a small cove, the woman’s husband had climbed the cliff to get a signal to telephone for assistance.

Coxswain James Roberts launched his y-boat from the Ivan Ellen with crewmen Treve Perry and Matt Smith who recovered the woman and returned to retrieve the kayaks.

With the successful rescue complete, the lifeboat crew recovered the y-boat and took the woman and her kayaks to Church Cove. The y-boat was then relaunched to take the woman to the beach at Church Cove where her husband met them.

The lifeboat had been attending the ‘Round the Mount Swim’ at St. Michael’s Mount and were just returning to harbour when the pagers sounded.

Notes 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]


RNLI Media Contacts

For further information, please contact:

Philip Monckton, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI South West, [email protected]

Emma Haines, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for South West England, 07786 668847, [email protected]

Amy Caldwell, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for South West England, 07920 818807, [email protected]

RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [email protected]

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI is the charity that 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 146,700 lives.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, TikTok 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.

About the author

Philip Monckton
Lifeboat Press Officer, Penlee Lifeboat Station

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