UPDATE: Four men have been rescued from their grounded vessel as it broke up under their fee, thanks to the skill of the Padstow RNLI lifeboat crew. The group were onboard a converted fishing vessel that hit rocks in the Camel estuary as they headed towards Padstow harbour.

The lifeboat crew volunteers launched at 5am this morning (Monday, April 29) when reports came in that the Courageous II had gone aground and was holed and that the vessel’s crew were in immediate danger. 

 

Arriving on scene in 12 minutes, volunteer RNLI Coxswain Alan Tarby ought the Tamar class all-weather lifeboat Spirit of Padstow alongside the stricken vessel in very shallow waters. The four men assembled on the aft deck of the converted fishing vessel and were swiftly transferred to the lifeboat.

The RNLI team then headed straight back to the lifeboat station so the survivors could be checked over by paramedics.

 

Michael England, RNLI Mechanic at Padstow, said: "This was a very speedy rescue as the four men were in immediate danger with the boat literally breaking up under their feet. Fortunately thanks to Alan’s skilful boat handling in very shallow water we were able to get them off the boat and ashore in minutes and they are all well.

"Sadly the vessel is breaking up very quickly.  They’re regular visitors to Padstow, usually appearing for our annual Mayday celebrations, and it’s very sad to see their boat in such a terrible situation.’    

The call came just four and a half hours after the Padstow RNLI team had returned from assisting two people onboard a small yacht that had lost its rudder two miles north of Boscastle. The volunteer crew had towed the boat to safety, arriving back at their Trevose Head boathouse at half past midnight this morning.

Four people have been rescued after their vessel ran aground on rocks just outside Padstow Harbour.

Falmouth Coastguard received a radio call from the former fishing vessel ‘Courageous 2’ at just before 4am to say that they had run aground on a sandbank off Padstow, the Doom Bar.

At 4.20am the vessel reported that they had re-floated and were on their way to Padstow however at just after 4.45am they called again to say that they needed urgent assistance as they had run aground against the rocks just outside Padstow.

The Padstow RNLI Lifeboat, Rock Inshore Lifeboat Lifeboat, the RNLI Rescue Helicopter from Culdrose and Palzeath Coastguard Rescue team were sent to the scene.

Four people were brought safely ashore by the Padstow lifeboat where they received medical assistance. The vessel had 900 litres of fuel on boardhas broken up and a small oil slick has been spotted just off Greenaway Beach. The MAIB has been informed.

Falmouth Watch Manager Andy Cattrell said: “The crew of the vessel did exactly the right thing when they ran into difficulty. They kept us informed of their situation and were well prepared with lifejackets and a life raft. What’s not clear at the moment is how they ended up on the rocks.

“We are now working with the Harbour Master and local authorities to deal with the debris and pollution that is coming from the vessel as it breaks up on the rocks.”