RNLI St Ives launch to a climber in trouble

The pagers sounded at 4:30pm on Good Friday. Our volunteer crew made their way through our busy town to the boathouse. With Robert Cocking as Coxswain on the All Weather Lifeboat and Jake Martin as Helm on the Inshore Lifeboat both boats were launched.

They quickly made their way to Commando Ridge, an area to the west of Gurnards Head, where a climber was injured on the cliff. The Coastguard Cliff Rescue teams from St Ives, Penzance and Lands End were on-site and the Coastguard helicopter was on its way.

Our boats had been launched as a precaution, they stood off at the scene to provide safety cover.

The Coastguard helicopter lifted the casualty and took them to Treliske hospital.

Once they were given the all clear the boats returned to the harbour where the All Weather Lifeboat was put onto the mooring. We cannot recover the ALB at high tide. The Inshore Lifeboat was brought back to the boathouse where it was washed down and made ready for service.

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 142,700 lives.

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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.