Plymouth RNLI rescues man after boat sinks during busy few days for volunteers

Plymouth RNLI’s Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat Annabel E Jones was requested to launch immediately by HM Coastguard at around 7:20pm following reports of a person in the water after a boat had sunk south-east of Gara Point.

The inshore lifeboat launched within minutes and was on scene within 10 minutes of the initial request. The volunteer crew located the casualty around 1.5 nautical miles south-east of Gara Point and recovered him from the water.

The casualty had been in the water for around 30 minutes and was cold and wet, so the crew immediately began casualty care.

Plymouth RNLI’s relief Severn class all-weather lifeboat Christopher Pearce was also launched to assist. With daylight fading into darkness, the casualty was transferred to the all-weather lifeboat, where the volunteer crew continued casualty care during the return to Plymouth Lifeboat Station.

An HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter, Rescue 924, was also sent to the incident, Yealm Coastguard Rescue Team were also in attendance.

The casualty was brought safely back to Plymouth Lifeboat Station, where he was assessed by paramedics from South Western Ambulance Service and continued to be warmed before later leaving with his family.

The incident was followed by a number of further shouts for Plymouth RNLI’s volunteer crew over the following two days.

At 10:22am on Friday [18 September], our inshore lifeboat was requested to launch following a Mayday broadcast reporting a person in the water at Southdown Marina. On arrival, the volunteer crew found the person had made it safely ashore, but their vessel remained adrift. The vessel was located and towed safely back to the marina.

Later that evening, at 10:56pm, our inshore lifeboat was launched to assist Devon and Cornwall Police and South Western Ambulance Service. Our all-weather lifeboat was subsequently launched at 11:28pm to assist. Both lifeboats were stood down just before 2am.

On Saturday [19 September], our all-weather lifeboat was diverted from an exercise to assist a 35ft sailing vessel with two people onboard near the Mewstone. The vessel had suffered engine failure and was taking on water.

The volunteer crew located the sailing vessel and brought the water ingress under control before establishing a tow. When the vessel began taking on water again, the crew placed it on a mooring and used the all-weather lifeboat’s salvage pump to remove the water. The two people onboard were then transferred safely ashore using the Y-boat.

A Plymouth RNLI spokesperson, said: ‘This has been a busy few days for our volunteer crews. On Thursday evening, the casualty had already been in the water for around 30 minutes, so getting to him quickly, getting him out of the water and starting casualty care was really important.

Our inshore lifeboat was on scene within 10 minutes of the immediate request and we were able to quickly locate and recover the casualty. The casualty was wearing a lifejacket, which was absolutely the right thing to do when heading out on the water. Although the weather and sea conditions were reasonable, daylight was fading into darkness.

Over the following two days our volunteer crews responded to several very different incidents, including another report of a person in the water and a sailing vessel taking on water. Our volunteers train regularly for situations like these and make themselves available around the clock so we can respond when we’re needed.

We’d remind anyone heading out on the water to wear a suitable lifejacket or buoyancy aid, carry a reliable means of calling for help and make sure their vessel and safety equipment are well maintained. If you get into difficulty at sea, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.’

Notes to editors

Photos

• Plymouth RNLI volunteers arriving on scene
  Photo Credit RNLI / Plymouth RNLI
• 35ft Sailing Vessel with engine issues under tow
  Photo Credit RNLI / Plymouth RNLI

Video
Plymouth RNLI volunteers locate casualty in the water after boat sank.

Information

Plymouth is a busy station based in the Old Custom House at Millbay Marina Village. Plymouth RNLI Lifeboat Station has two lifeboats, an all-weather Severn class lifeboat Sybil Mullen Glover and an Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat Annabel E Jones.

Currently Plymouth have a Relief all-weather Severn class lifeboat Christopher Pearce on station.

To find out more about Plymouth RNLI Lifeboat Station go to https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/plymouth-lifeboat-station

Plymouth RNLI Facebook page facebook.com/PlymouthRNLI

RNLI Media Contacts

For further information, please contact:

Darren Blight, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, Plymouth Lifeboat Station [email protected]

Katie O’Neill, Volunteer Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer, Plymouth Lifeboat Station [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]

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.