Diver pulled from the water by Plymouth RNLI volunteers

The alarm was raised by the diver's friends to Falmouth Coastguard after he failed to surface in the arranged area and they grew increasingly concerned for his welfare.

Both of the charity’s lifeboats and a Search & Rescue Helicopter from Newquay made best speed to the last known location of the diver to begin a search pattern, something the volunteer crew regularly train for, when further information came over the radio that a passing sailing vessel had spotted the diver floating 1.9miles west of his last known position.

The inshore lifeboat with Adam at the helm arrived on scene with the casualty, and volunteer crew members Kate, Josh and Cayden recovered the casualty from the water. Following a casualty care assessment by the crew the decision was made to stand down Rescue 924 helicopter and escort the casualty on his vessel back to Sutton Harbour.

Plymouth RNLI Coxswain Simon Jeffery said: 'The casualty is extremely lucky to be found and without his friends dialling 999 and asking for the Coastguard this rescue might have had a different outcome.

'We strongly urge people to tell someone where you are going and what time you plan to be back, always take a means of calling for help, check that you’re fit to dive, buddy up and the Float To Live advice really helped the casualty stay calm and wait for help to arrive.

Both lifeboats returned to station ready for service 2.10pm.

Scuba Diving

With the right training, experience, equipment and conditions, scuba diving in the UK and Ireland can be phenomenal. From deep-sea wrecks to wildlife, our marine environment rivals some of the best in the world – and we’re here to help you enjoy your next diving adventure safely.

6 safety checks for scuba diving:

We really hope your next diving adventure is a great one – so before you head out, read our six simple checks for safe diving:

Be fit to dive

Prepare yourself by being fit to dive – cold water will put extra strain on your body. Always consider your cardiac health before diving and get any concerns checked out.

Check your diving equipment

At the start of the season make sure all your diving gear is in service and ready for another year’s diving.

Plan your dives

Check the weather and tides. Find specific tide tables and sea conditions for the UK and Ireland at metoffice.gov.uk.

Always complete a buddy check

No matter how experienced you are, or however many times you have dived with your buddy, don’t skip the buddy check. It could save your life, and theirs.

Be spotted

All divers should carry a surface marker buoy (SMB) or delayed surface marker buoy (DSMB) on every dive to aid their visibility to all surface craft.

Carry a means of calling for help

If something goes wrong, how will you call for help? Consider carrying a personal locator beacon (PLB) or similar device in a waterproof canister.

Further advice can be found here: https://rnli.org/safety/choose-your-activity/scuba-diving

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.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

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.