Torbay RNLI’s two lifeboats rescue seven students stranded off Torquay

Helped by northly winds and calm waters earlier in the afternoon, the visiting group of international students, studying at two Dutch universities and from various countries in Europe, swam and paddle-boarded the short distance to the rock. By late afternoon, with temperatures dropping to around 10C, the group – now getting dangerously cold in the freshening winds – correctly judged the return journey back across the narrow channel to be too hazardous.

Alerted by HM Coastguard shortly before 6pm, Torbay RNLI‘ s Coxswain and Launch Authority assessed that the number of casualties and their reported condition, plus the need to quickly access and recover them from the rock, would need the crews of both the ILB and ALB to coordinate the rescue.

With the ILB and her three volunteer crew launching at 5:58pm, followed by the ALB with her seven volunteer crew launching two minutes later, the lifeboats made best speed across Tor Bay into increasingly gusty headwinds.

The casualties, located on a ledge on the north-easterly part of the rock, were reached by the ILB shortly before 6:15pm. An ILB crew member was landed onto the rock to report back to the nearby ALB on the casualties’ condition and assist the first two casualties onto the ILB. Transferred by the ILB to the ALB stationed a little further offshore, the casualties were then medically assessed by a volunteer crew member who, in her professional life, works as a fully-qualified doctor.

Two further journeys by the ILB back to the rock saw the remaining five casualties brought back into the ALB for medical assessment and supervision. A final journey back to the rock to collect the ILB crew member assisting the casualty transfers into the ILB, also enabled the crew to recover the paddleboards and other equipment to prevent it washing into the bay and obstructing other users or marine wildlife.

Once in the ALB, dry robes, kindly donated last year by Brixham’s Latitude Clothing Company, came into their own and helped warm the casualties as they were brought – relieved to be safe-and-sound – to nearby Torquay Harbour and left in the care of the waiting Torquay Coastguard Rescue Team.

Returning to Brixham Harbour, the crews, who included one of Torbay RNLI’s eight new trainee crew members working aboard the ALB, readied the ALB and ILB for further service by 7:45pm.

Andrew Medley, Deputy Coxswain, Torbay RNLI commented, “This evening’s tasking was an example of first rate teamwork between our inshore (ILB) and all-weather (ALB) lifeboat crews to rapidly rescue and transfer seven casualties from a precarious position on Thatcher Rock in blustery conditions. Two of the group had become dangerously cold after swimming across the hazardous channel, where there is often strong tidal flows. We were fortunate to have our volunteer doctor on board, who was able to warm up and monitor the individuals of concern. We transferred the group to Torquay marina where they were taken into the care of our Coastguard colleagues, who also did a brilliant job on scene”.

“We would also like to thank Latitude Clothing Company in Brixham, who donated dry robes to us last summer to keep aboard the ALB for exactly this type of situation. This equipment really came into its own this evening, and I know all seven of our casualties will be grateful”.

If you find yourself in an emergency situation or spot someone else in trouble, always call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard. The RNLI volunteer crews are ready 24/7 to assist.

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For further information, please contact:

Klaus Goddard, 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]

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