St Ives and Penlee RNLI lifeboats support dive vessel
On Wednesday 22 November the Penlee RNLI all-weather Severn class lifeboat the Ivan Ellen and St Ives RNLI all-weather Shannon class lifeboat Nora Stachura assisted a 50ft dive vessel.
Having rendezvoused with the dive vessel, two RNLI lifeboat volunteers were placed on board with a salvage pump and they remained on board to monitor the situation and use the pump if required.
Due to the size of the vessel and low water, the St Ives RNLI lifeboat coxswain Rob Cocking decided to escort the vessel to Newlyn.
Penlee RNLI volunteers launched the Ivan Ellen at 9pm expecting to assist or take over the escort duties back to Newlyn.
The two lifeboats rendezvoused west of Carn Base at 10.15pm. With deteriorating weather conditions and the fact that the dive vessel had now lost all electronics and lights and was only making four knots, Penlee RNLI Coxswain Patch Harvey made the decision to connect a tow rope and tow the vessel into Newlyn.
At 10am the dive vessel was towed safely into harbour and put on a pontoon berth, the two St Ives RNLI volunteers and the salvage pump were driven back to St Ives, and after a wash down and square up, Penlee RNLI lifeboat was ready for service at 1.30am on Thursday morning.
Notes to editors
Penlee RNLI is based in Newlyn, Penzance, Cornwall TR18 5HW. The volunteers crew an all-weather Severn Class Lifeboat Ivan Ellen and a B class Atlantic inshore lifeboat Mollie and Ivor Dent. The Penlee Lifeboat has a rich 200 years history of saving lives at sea.
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For more information, please contact Phil Monckton, Penlee Lifeboat Press Officer on 07879818095 or [email protected], or Amy Caldwell, RNLI Regional Media Manager [email protected] or Emma Haines, RNLI Regional Media Officer, on 07786 668847 or [email protected].
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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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