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Falmouth RNLI assist an injured seaman during Storm Austen
Falmouth’s Shannon class all-weather lifeboat Decibel Too was tasked yesterday, Friday 23 October, to help an injured crew member aboard a 21-metre French fishing vessel 7 nautical miles east south east of Zone Point after the vessel’s master had contacted HM Coastguard.
The pagers had alerted the crew at 8.22am and the lifeboat left its temporary, more sheltered, berth in Port Pendennis Marina at 8.40am under the command of Falmouth RNLI Coxswain Luke Wills, arriving on scene at 9.18am.
The conditions were partly cloudy, good visibility, a force 7 to gale 8 north westerly wind and a moderate sea. Due to these conditions, the fishing vessel and lifeboat proceeded to a more sheltered part of Falmouth Bay where two qualified casualty care lifeboat crew members were placed aboard the fishing vessel to assess the casualty. It was found that he had suffered a dislocated knee so was transferred to the lifeboat and taken back to the lifeboat station, arriving there at 10.30am. The casualty was then taken to the minor injury unit. The fishing vessel returned to sea.
Falmouth RNLI Coxswain Luke Wills said: ‘The crew did a fantastic job in some challenging conditions boarding the fishing vessel underway. Thanks to the skipper of the fishing vessel for giving us a good lee for extracting the injured crew member. We wish him a speedy recovery.’
RNLI Media Contacts
For further information, please contact:
Simon Culliford, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI South West, [email protected]
Kyle Reed, 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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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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