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Two Service Launches in One Day for The Lizard RNLI

Lifeboats News Release

A second service launch for our crews on Monday 20th July following a request from Falmouth Coastguard to our duty Launch Authority.

RNLI/Geoff Squibb

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The tasking was to go to the assistance of a 54 ft mono-hulled yacht in a position of 10 nautical miles west of Lizard Point. With 4 persons on board the yacht was suffering from engine failure and had initially requested a tow to Newlyn.

The yacht had not sent out a Pan Pan call and the lifeboat launched on the understanding that a full assessment of the situation would be carried out once the lifeboat arrived on scene. The lifeboat arrived at the yachts position at 6.58pm and once ascertaining that nobody on board the casualty vessel needed any medical assistance, Coxswain Andrew Putt advised the casualty skipper to continue under sail on their course towards Newlyn where another RNLI asset would assist them.

RNLB Mollie Hunt and the yacht initially left the scene a short time later with the lifeboat continuing to shadow the casualty vessel in towards Newlyn harbour. Coxswain Putt then requested that the Coastguard page our colleagues at Penlee Lifeboat to take over the tasking. The crew of the Penlee lifeboat arrived a short time later and following the handover of the tasking, RNLB Mollie Hunt departed the scene and arrived back at The Lizard Lifeboat Station at 8.22pm where she was rehoused and made ready for service again when required by 8.55pm.

A “Pan Pan” call is an international radio urgency signal meaning there is a serious problem that requires assistance, but it is not an immediate threat to life or the vessel.

RNLI Media Contacts

For further information, please contact:

Lyndsay Bray, 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.

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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

Lyndsay Bray
Lifeboat Press Officer, The Lizard Lifeboat Station

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