Lizard Lifeboat practise becomes reality (From This is The West Country)

Lizard Lifeboat practise becomes reality

2:58pm Friday 12th June 2009 in Cornwall

A routine practise session between the crew of the Lizard Lifeboat and the 771 search and rescue squadron from RNAS Culdrose turned into reality yesterday morning.

Both crews were sent to help the Falmouth registered fishing boat Harvester, whose three crew were reporting an engine room fire that had left the boat powerless and without radio communication.

The Lizard Lifeboat received the alert from Falmouth Coastguard at 8.18am and was fully crewed and launched to the rescue by 8.30am, quickly followed by the launch of the rescue aircraft from RNAS Culdrose.

The boat was five miles south of the Manacles Rocks off the east Cornish coastline and crewman were winched from the helicopter onto the powerless vessel to evaluate the problem.

The lifeboat then went alongside and passed out a line to tow the Harvester back to Falmouth for repairs, arriving at 11am.

Station coxswain Phil Burgess, accompanied by crew members David Hill, Simon Fayers, Dave Jackman (relief mechanic) and deputy second coxswain John Hill returned to Kilcobben Cove at The Lizard, watched by people from the coast path.

Just hours earlier the lifeboat crewmembers had practised being winched into the helicopter, some of them for the first time.

At just 21 years old John Hill had been in charge of the lifeboat.