Yachts in trouble and machinery breakdowns accounted for most of 2014's shouts as figures show another busy year for RNLI crews in Falmouth and The Lizard Peninsula.

Figures announced by the RNLI today reveal that across the south west lifeboats were launched 1,560 times and rescued 1,659 people - the highest since 2011.

With approximately seven million people using the region's beaches throughout the summer, the charity's lifeguards dealt with 12,064 incidents, aiding 13,586 people and saving 52 lives.

The Falmouth RNLI crews launched 95 times, 36 of these at night, with the all weather lifeboat launching 34 times and the inshore lifeboat launching 61 times.

In total 104 people were helped, with the crews at sea for a total of 687 hours.

This was an increase on 2013, when the lifeboats launched 85 times and helped 89 people.

The Lizard lifeboat launched 14 times, seven of these at night, with 30 people helped and crews spending a total of 318 hours at sea.

Tom Mansell, divisional operations manager, said: “The statistics revealed today show another busy year for our volunteer lifeboat crews and illustrate their true dedication to saving lives at sea. Not only did they spend the equivalent of 406 days at sea responding to the call of their pager, they collectively gave up 22,000 hours of their time to train on exercise to ensure they are ready to launch to any situation. This is a remarkable display of commitment, to which we thank them wholeheartedly and also their families and employers who allow them to carry out their selfless work, whatever time of day and in all weathers.'

In a year which began with relentless storms that battered the coastline, the most common launches of 2014 were to sailing boats, followed by powered pleasure craft. Machinery failure accounted for the largest number of these call outs.

The summer brought with it some prolonged periods of settled weather and many people headed to the beach to make the most of the sunshine. Although RNLI lifeguard incident numbers were slightly down overall on 2013, the lifeguard teams were involved in many rescues last summer.

James Millidge, community incident reduction manager, said: “It is great that people are enjoying the coast and making the most of the scenery we have available to us, but what starts out as a fun day by the sea can quickly turn bad if people aren't fully prepared for the risks their hobby or sport can create. A total of 118 launches last year were to people in the water at risk of drowning. Some of these people may have started their activity ashore with no intention of going in the water, whereas others may have been caught out by changeable conditions, so it's vital people are aware of the dangers their activity may present and ensure they are prepared should events take a turn for the worst.

“Important points to remember include carrying a means to call for help and wearing a well-fitted lifejacket and knowing how to use it should an emergency unfold. By planning a trip beforehand people can prevent themselves from getting into trouble, for example checking the tide times so they don't become cut off, local weather conditions, and ensuring all equipment is in correct working order. We also recommend telling people where you're going and when you'll be back so somebody can raise the alarm if you don't return as planned.”

While the charity's operational volunteers were busy out on the water or patrolling the beaches, the volunteer fundraisers were also working hard raising thousands of pounds for their local stations.

Tom added: “As a charity we rely on the generosity of the public, and we'd like to thank everybody who has supported the RNLI throughout 2014. Whatever challenges this year brings, our lifeguards, lifeboat crews and fundraising volunteers will remain dedicated to the cause of saving lives at sea.'