A ROUTINE boat trip turned into a dramatic rescue on Saturday morning after three people and a dog were left stranded on a remote stretch of Whitsand Bay, unable to escape after their boat’s engine suddenly failed.

At 11:22am, lifeboat pagers rang out across Looe as Falmouth Coastguard MRCC requested immediate assistance. A vessel had broken down near Tregonhawke, leaving one person trapped on board and two others marooned on the beach - all with no route to safety and the tide beginning to turn.

Eight minutes later, the RNLI’s Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat Sheila and Dennis Tongue II launched into action, carving a fast path through Looe Bay. After a tense 20-minute dash across the water, the volunteer crew located the stricken party - three people, all wearing lifejackets, and their dog, anxiously waiting on the sand.

The drama had begun when the boat’s outboard pull cord snapped, disabling the engine and leaving the group with no way to climb the cliffs or walk along the coast. With no options left, they dialled 999.

The lifeboat crew safely evacuated the group and their boat, towing them back to Looe. The rescue was complete by 1:09pm ensuring another life-saving mission by RNLI heroes has been completed.