Swimmers who got into difficulty in rough seas near Prussia Cove prompted calls to the Falmouth Coastguard on Saturday.
Penlee RNLI’s Severn Class Lifeboat 'Ivan Ellen' and Penlee’s B class Atlantic 85 ‘Mollie and Ivor Dent’ were sent by Falmouth Coastguards at 3:15pm to swimmers in difficulty due to rough sea conditions at Pixie Cove (west of Prussia Cove in Mounts Bay).
The shout was initially given as a male swimmer in difficulty but they managed to get out of the water.
On the lifeboats arrival a woman was found to be in difficulty. Amy Smith, who was helm at the time, decided to take to the water to assist while James Roberts took over at helm and Marcel Le Breton joined the Atlantic from Ivan Ellen.
Fighting the surge created by a south west 4-5 wind and a 3-4 metre swell, Amy Smith and the Coastguard Cliff Rescue Teams from Penzance and Porthleven managed to get the casualty to safety, just as a rescue helicopter arrived which had been tasked as well.
The lifeboats returned to Newlyn at 5pm, while Amy Smith returned with the cliff rescue team.
Mollie and Ivor Dent volunteer crew were: Amy Smith helm, James Roberts and Sam Ashworth.
Ivan Ellen volunteer crew were: Coxswain David Preece (cover cox) mechanic Tony Rendle, navigator Kenny Downing, Will Treneer, Marcel Le Breton and Jason Ward.
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