Sennen Cove RNLI Volunteers launch to small motor cruiser
Our RNLI volunteer crews were tasked by HM Coastguard Falmouth at 12.21am on Friday 22 August, following a request for help from a small motor cruiser, with 2 people on board, that had lost all power to its navigation system and was unlit 4 miles south-west of the Wolf Rock lighthouse.
The occupants were fatigued and unsure of their position which was determined by HM Coastguard using direction finding equipment locking on their mobile phone signal.
The Tamar class all-weather lifeboat ‘City of London III’ launched under the command of Coxswain Kirstan Gorvin with a total of 5 crew.
The RNLI volunteers located the casualty vessel at 1.22am by using the lifeboat’s radar. Finding a vessel of this size in the busy seas south of the Lands End Traffic Separation Scheme should not be underestimated. Its two crew were exhausted and in need of help so were transferred to the safety of the lifeboat.
With no navigation lights, the casualty vessel was vulnerable of being hit and was a hazard to other passing craft. It was therefore decided that taking the casualty vessel in tow to the nearest suitable port was the safest option.
A tow was established and the RNLI volunteers started towing the vessel to Newlyn.
Progress was steady until it was noticed that the small craft was sitting lower in the sea. This was a sign that she was taking on water from somewhere. The tow was halted and the RNLI volunteers used the lifeboat’s salvage pump to try to stabilise the vessel.
Unfortunately, this was unsuccessful and the small motor cruiser sank a short time after.
With the casualty vessel’s crew safely aboard the lifeboat, a course was set to return to Sennen Cove
The lifeboat arrived back at Sennen around 3.45am, was recovered up the short slip and was made ready for service.
The casualty’s two crew were then taken to their home in a nearby town by a RNLI volunteer.
We’re asking the public to help save more lives by sharing some simple survival skills:
• Float to live. If you find yourself in the water unexpectedly, fight your instincts and float until the effects of cold water shock pass.
• If you see someone else in trouble at the coast, call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.
Coastal walking safety tips
• Be wary of all edges around the sea and waterside.
• Take a means of calling for help.
• Check the weather and tide times.
Activity tips
• Swimming – swim at a lifeguarded beach, between the red and yellow flags.
• Angling from rocks – wear a lifejacket and carry a means of calling for help.
• Kayaking – carry a means of calling for help and keep it on you.
• Scuba diving – check that you’re fit to dive.
• Sailing and motorboating – wear a lifejacket or buoyancy aid, ensure everyone onboard knows how to call for help, get appropriate training, and check your engine and fuel before every trip.
• Paddleboarding – wear an appropriate leash and flotation device, and keep a means of calling for help on you.
Know what to do – visit RNLI.org/safety.
Ends
Media contacts
For more information, please telephone Tim Stevens, Lifeboat Press Officer on 07971518403 or [email protected] or Emma Haines, RNLI Regional Communications Manager, on 07786 668847 or [email protected]; or Amy Caldwell, RNLI Regional Communications Lead, on 07920 818807 or [email protected] or the RNLI Duty Press Office on 01202 336789.
RNLI online
For more information, please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the RNLI News Centre.
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, in a normal year, 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 more than 146,000 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.