Cornwall rescues by Falmouth coastguard: cliff fall, mud, drifting boats

It began with the first of a number of calls about unmanned boats and ended with a bumper day of three shouts in eight hours on Sunday.

Falmouth Coastguard Rescue Team had received the first alert just before 11am last Tuesday (August 25) reporting an unmanned dinghy on the rocks at Pill Plantation, near Feock.

A spokesperson said: "Originally reported that the engine was in the 'down' position and oars out, we found it to be up with no fuel tank onboard and the oars had found their way out due to the sea conditions.

"Happy that there was no one in distress, we stood down and returned to base.

"The details will be passed to the harbour office to see if they can track down the owner. The vessel looked to have broken free from a larger vessel and washed ashore in the poor weather / sea conditions."

The next day the team was called to help a man who had fallen from a cliff between Swanpool and Pennance (Stack) Point in Falmouth.

The team help a man fallen from a cliff. Photo: Falmouth CRT

The ambulance service, Falmouth Inshore Lifeboat and Porthoustock Coastguard Rescue Team were also sent.

They found a man with an ankle injury. Due to his location, it was decided to take him back to Swanpool on the lifeboat and on to the waiting ambulance.

Thursday's shout saw the team sent to another drifting boat, this time a rigid hulled inflatable boat (RHIB), near Sea Wide Services at Falmouth Wharves.

A crew member from Falmouth Lifeboat was able to get onboard and establish the engine was cold and there were no signs of anyone being aboard recently, so it was towed back to the boathouse.

Anyone who has lost this boat or know who it belongs to should contact the Coastguard Operations Centre at Falmouth on 01326 317575 to arrange collection.

Just before 6.55pm last Friday the team was sent to a hire boat that had run aground with two people onboard 350 metres from shore at Penpol Creek, Point near Devoran.

The mud rescue underway at Penpol Creek. Photo: Falmouth CRT

Porthoustock coastguards and full time coastguard area commander were also paged.

A Falmouth team spokesperson said: "Given the tide and inclement weather conditions along with the onset of darkness, it was decided to bring the occupants to shore."

Two specialist mud rescue technicians were sent in to help the pair back to safety.

Saturday saw member put on immediate readiness to respond soon after 5.30pm, due to an ongoing incident on the river at Tresillian, near Truro.

However, Portscatho Coastguard Rescue Team were already helping the vessel that had run aground and were able to bring the incident to a safe conclusion.

Sunday then saw the busiest day of the week for the volunteers, as they answered three calls for help.

Do you recognise this RHIB found near Sea Wide Services at Falmouth Wharves? Photo: Falmouth CRT

They were first alerted just after 11am to a report of a vessel drifting at Trefusis Point, Flushing.

Falmouth Lifeboat was also sent and was subsequently able to establish that the vessel's engine was in the down position, it was warm and the kill cord was still in place.

A search of the shoreline was carried out by the coastguards and inshore lifeboat crew while enquiries were made to try and find its owner.

A spokesperson for Falmouth Coastguard said: "While this was being carried out the owner was contacted and was safe and well, and turns out the vessel has simply parted its mooring."

The second call came at 3.02pm, when they were asked to help ambulance staff with a casualty at Loe Beach, Feock.

However, just as they were leaving the station members were stood down as the incident was in hand.

Only a few hours later they were back, however, when shortly before 6.30pm a report came in of a vessel stuck in mud between the Norway Inn and Devoran, with concern raised for its occupants.

On scene the team established that there was no vessel stuck, but one matching the description given was now moored up river in Visicks Yard, near Devoran.

Local enquires were made into the ownership, details collected and passed back for further investigation.