Two Cavers Rescued by St Agnes RNLI in Multi-Agency Incident.
St Agnes D-Class lifeboat was launched yesterday after reports of six people in difficulty in the Polberro Cove area.
Volunteer crew members were paged at 7.10pm and the lifeboat was on the water within ten minutes. Arriving on scene the crew located two casualties, one with serious injuries the second with a more minor injury. With the help of St Agnes Coastguard Cliff Rescue and the ambulance service, the first casualty was extracted from the scene and taken to Trevaunance Cove. With the tide rising the Coastguard Rescue helicopter, which had scrambled from Newquay, was unable to land. Volunteer crew members from St Agnes RNLI were able to draw on their extensive casualty care training to give the injured person care while they waited for an ambulance.
Lifeboat Operations Manager, Doug Stein, commented, “Our volunteers were able to give the casualty the best possible care in the circumstances. We would like to thank St Agnes Surf Lifesaving Club for their support as well. This was a lifesaving community pulling together.”
The D-class lifeboat returned to the scene of the incident and extracted the second casualty. Four more casualties were reported as being above the site of the incident so the crew maintained watch in support of the Coastguard Cliff Rescue as they assisted the remaining casualties. Meanwhile the first casualty was taken to hospital by ambulance for urgent treatment.
St Agnes RNLI launch authority, Peter Banner, said, “It was impressive to see our volunteers work in such a calm and professional manner under such pressure. This is where we see hours and hours of training pay off.”
Commenting on the importance of multiple agencies in the incident, Mr. Stein expressed concern about the parking on Quay Road. “We would like to remind the public that parking is restricted on Quay Road during the summer months. We understand that it is tempting to park on the single yellow lines but please remember that what might save you a little walk could prevent our crew and the ambulance service from saving someone’s life.”
On return passage St Agnes RNLI lifeboat was accompanied by the all-weather lifeboat from St Ives RNLI and was back on station and ready for service at 9:50pm. This morning volunteer crew members were back on station for a training exercise.
RNLI media contacts
For more information please telephone Tom Knight, Lifeboat Press Officer on 07538 418391 [email protected] or contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.
RNLI online
For more information on the RNLI please visit rnli.org. News releases and other media resources, including RSS feeds, downloadable photos and video, are available at the RNLI News Centre rnli.org/news-and-media.
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity 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 over 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 142,200 lives.
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, X, 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.