The occupant of a dinghy had to be rescued after losing an oar while trying to get back to his yacht on The Helford in a SW Force 6 wind.

Falmouth inshore lifeboat was called out to Helford Passage on Tuesday afternoon after the coastguard were called out by the man's partner who was watching the drama unfold from their yacht. They raised the alarm using the yacht's radio.

The Robina Nixon Chard was launched at 1.07pm and arrived on the scene shortly after 1.30pm.

A local fishing boat was already alongside and had managed to stop the dinghy from drifting onto rocks nearby.

The dinghy had suffered engine failure and then the man had lost his oar. It was also found that he did not have a lifejacket on or have any form of communication.

The dinghy was handed over to lifeboat crew who returned it and the man to the yacht on the moorings. The man was spoken to about his lack of safety equipment.

Posting on Facebook, Falmouth lifeboat said: "HM Coastguard requested the assistance of our Atlantic 85, inshore lifeboat to a dinghy adrift with one person onboard, in the Helford River in a SW force 6 wind.

"The alarm was raised by radio by the occupant's partner who was aboard their yacht which was moored nearby. 

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"Our lifeboat, 'Robina Nixon Chard' launched at 1.07pm arriving on scene shortly after 1.30pm, to find that the dingy had engine failure and that the occupant had then lost one of his oars.

"A local fishing boat was now alongside, and had managed to keep the dinghy from drifting onto nearby rocks. The dinghy was handed over to the lifeboat crew who returned it to the yacht on the moorings.

"After speaking to the occupant of the need to wear a buoyancy aid and carrying a means of communication at all times when afloat, the lifeboat was released from service by the Coastguard at 2pm, returning to station and being readied for service by 2.45pm."