Looe RNLI volunteer crews had to undertake two rescues in quick succession on Thursday afternoon and evening (July 22).

The first of the two shouts came at 4.18pm after former crew member Ben Crabb witnessed a 20ft boat with five people and a dog onboard running aground on the Limmicks rocks. He alerted Looe Lifeboat Operations Manager Dave Haines and coastguards and soon afterwards the RNLI’s D Class inshore lifeboat Ollie Naismith was launched, followed by the Atlantic 85 Sheila and Dennis Tongue II a minute later carrying a salvage pump.

The crews quickly arrived at the scene of the grounding and a crew member from the D Class waded over the rocks to assess the situation. The casualties were then transferred to the D Class and taken back to the lifeboat station, where they were checked over. Meanwhile the Atlantic 85 remained at the scene of the grounding to recover the boat – fortunately the hull appeared watertight so the pump wasn’t needed.

The crew then moved the boat off the rocks and towed it to the slipway on West Looe Quay so it could be checked for damage at low tide.

Next the crews had just returned to the lifeboat station for washing down and refuelling the lifeboats when their pagers sounded again at 6.31pm. Within five minutes the Atlantic 85 lifeboat was launched again, this time to assess the situation and assist two people on board a 26ft yacht who were on a passage from Falmouth to Plymouth but were not making any headway south of Looe Island.

After arriving at the scene, two RNLI crew members went aboard the yacht to check its passengers and then remained on board while the Atlantic 85 escorted the yacht to visitor moorings on West Looe quayside. They then returned to the lifeboat station, washed down their vessel and left at 8pm.

In the light of the first rescue, the volunteer crew praised the versatility of the D Class Ollie Naismith and its importance to rescues in the Looe area. Its shallow draft allowed the rescue crew to get in close to the boat which had run aground on the rocks. Now with the Ollie Naismith nearing the end of its operational life the crew is asking the community to help in bringing the Ollie Naismith II to Looe by supporting their lifeboat appeal via www.justgiving.com/fundraising/looe-lifeboat-appeal

Following these two rescues Lifeboat Operations Manager Dave Haines has issued the following advice and safety tips as he says people can easily get caught out while sailing on long trips:

1. Always wear an appropriate lifejacket.

2. Always carry a means of calling and signalling for help.

3. Ensure there is an emergency action plan in place and that everybody has an onboard briefing.

4. Get the right level of training for your craft.

5. Always check the weather and tide times.

6. Make sure someone ashore knows where you are going and who to call if you don’t return on time.