Teignmouth and Torbay RNLI volunteer crews assist multi-agency response

Volunteers from Teignmouth RNLI were initially tasked at 8:48pm, to assist in a multi-agency operation following reports of a person down a cliff in the Babbacombe area.

Teignmouth RNLI’s inshore B-class Atlantic 85 lifeboat (ILB), Claude and Kath launched swiftly with four volunteers onboard and was joined by Torbay RNLI’s all weather lifeboat (ALB), Alec and Christina Dykes as well as Torbay RNLI’s D-class ILB, Leslie & Mary Daws which both joined the search party shortly after.

HM Coastguard rescue teams from both Torbay and Dawlish were also on scene, conducting a search from land. A Coastguard rescue helicopter joined the search, flying in from its base at St Athens. The search focused on a challenging stretch of cliff face with limited access from land.

While the cliff rescue was still ongoing, a second emergency call was received reporting a person in the water in Brixham Harbour, spotted by a concerned member of the public. Solent Coastguard then issued its second tasking of the night at 9.30pm.

Due to the urgency of the second incident, Teignmouth’s lifeboat, an Atlantic 85, the fastest of the RNLI’s lifeboat fleet, was redeployed from the Babbacombe search to respond, arriving on scene at 9:35pm.

Torbay’s D-class ILB also proceeded to Brixham Harbour to assist, as the Babbacombe cliff casualty had been located by the Coastguard teams with support and visual coverage at Babbacombe being provided by Torbay’s ALB and the helicopter overhead. The cliff rescue casualty was safely recovered and transferred to the top of the cliff where a waiting ambulance crew was on scene to provide medical treatment.

The person spotted in Brixham Harbour was quickly located and brought to safety by the volunteer lifeboat crews, with no serious injuries reported.

Volunteer crew onboard Teignmouth Lifeboat Claude and Kath, were stood down shortly after 10:00pm, arriving back at the station for recovery and refuelling by the waiting shore crew at 10:40pm. James Stolye, volunteer Helm for Teignmouth RNLI said, ‘it was a great example of teamwork, and how working alongside multiple agencies and our fellow volunteers from our flank station at Torbay RNLI allows us to get the best outcome for the casualties involved’.

For the volunteer crews from Torbay RNLI, the evening saw two further taskings with the Torbay crews finally stood down from service and returning to station at 11:05pm. Richard Fowler, 2^nd Coxswain said ‘It was a fast-paced evening for our volunteer crews, with the four shouts making this the busiest day of the year so far for Torbay RNLI. Our two lifeboats worked closely with Teignmouth RNLI’s volunteer crews and other agencies, ensuring a fast and comprehensive response to multiple, complex incidents.’

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 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 146,000 lives.

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