At 4.11pm this afternoon the Inshore lifeboat ‘Mollie and Ivor Dent’ and her volunteer crew were paged and requested to launch by the Falmouth Coastguard Operations Centre.

The crew were tasked to carry out a welfare check on a kite surfer who appeared to be having problems near St. Michael’s Mount. With James Roberts at the helm, and crew members Dan Sell and Amy Smith onboard, the lifeboat sped across the bay arriving on scene in Perranuthnoe within minutes. On arrival they found that the kite surfer was already ashore, safe & well - false alarm reported with very good intent.

Penlee All Weather Lifeboat ‘Ivan Ellen’ launched on service 07:30 this morning after receiving a tasking request from Falmouth Coastguard.
A person was reported in the sea in Penzance Harbour, our colleagues from Penzance Cliff Rescue Team were also tasked.
Penlee Lifeboat proceeded to the scene but due the shallow water and location the YBoat was launched with 2 crewman onboard, combining great team work with the Cliff Rescue Team the person was located and taken to Abbey Slip where an Ambulance and paramedics were waiting.
Despite a stirling effort from everyone involved sadly it would appear that the person was deceased.

Nearly 218 years of lifeboat history in Mount’s Bay - 12 brave, selfless & dedicated Coxswains. The life jackets may have changed but what remains constant is the tenacity, courage, determination and perseverance of all our lifeboat crews. #ServiceNotSelf

L to R - Coxswains Thomas Carbis, Henry Trewhella, Philip Nicholls, Thomas Ellis Vingoe, Joseph Strick Brownfield, Frank ‘Nailer’ Blewett, Eddie Madron, John ‘Jack’ Thomas Worth, Trevelyan ‘Charlie’ Richards, Ken Thomas, Neil ‘Brocky’ Brockman, Patrick ‘Patch’ Harvey.

36 years ago today on 15 February 1985 in storm force conditions, with Coxswain Ken Thomas at the helm, the Mabel Alice lifeboat and her volunteer crew launched from Newlyn and went to the assistance of the French trawler 'St Simeon'.

The 'St Simeon' had sprung a leak and lost power about 13 miles south of the Lizard in an easterly gale - Force 10-11.

Coxswain Ken Thomas, applied full speed as soon as the lifeboat cleared the harbour. At the entrance 15 foot seas were breaking over the wall; between squalls visibility was about one and a half miles. The wind was blowing from the east south east at strong gale force 9 over a flood tide, two and a half hours from high water. This created a very short steep sea.

Full speed was maintained in Mount’s Bay but once the lifeboat had passed close to the east of Low Lee buoy and a course of 150°M was set, speed had gradually to be eased in order to reduce the violent motion of the lifeboat. At 1200 a Decca position of the casualty of six and a half miles, 270°T from Lizard Point was obtained and the lifeboat altered course to 135°M. For the next half hour the lifeboat experienced some very bad conditions, probably caused by the wind over tide and ledges on the sea bed in the area.

Coxswain Thomas had to ease speed as the lifeboat met 45 foot seas which were breaking overall and stopping the windscreen wipers. Excessive sea clutter made the radar of limited use and, in trying to set a course for Falmouth lifeboat and the fishing vessel, it was realised that the Decca Navigator was slipping lanes due to the heavy motion.

From 1230 the VHP direction finder was used to home in on the two vessels and, just over an hour later, St Simeon was sighted about a mile ahead, with Falmouth lifeboat visible to the north.

An hour and a half before the arrival of Penlee lifeboat, the trawler had altered course to 068°M as her skipper had decided to make for Plymouth.

More fuel for the salvage pump had also been landed by a Royal Navy Sea King helicopter aboard St Simeon. When Penlee lifeboat arrived on scene at 1342 all essential information was passed by radio and Falmouth lifeboat then left the scene, on course for her home port, finally reaching harbour at 1512.

Penlee lifeboat took up station a quarter of a mile astern of the trawler which was steaming at four to five knots on a course of about 070°M, carrying wind and sea fine on her starboard bow.

She was pitching heavily, shipping heavy spray overall and occasionally rolling onto her beam ends. Her freeboard was quite good and she seemed to be faring as comfortably as could be expected for that type of vessel in those seas.

Slowly, thanks to the salvage pump, the amount of water in the trawler's hull was being reduced and she was making headway towards Plymouth. By 1430 the coastguard reckoned that the search and rescue element of the situation was almost over. The trawler's skipper would not attempt to steam across the prevailing seas and he was determined to save his vessel by continuing on to Plymouth. With the assistance of CROSSMA, the French rescue co-ordination centre at Joburg, Falmouth coastguard arranged for another French fishing vessel, L'Agardere, to take over escort duties by steaming down sea from the Plymouth area.

Penlee lifeboat stayed in close contact with the casualty throughout the afternoon and witnessed another transfer of fuel for the salvage pump from a Royal Navy helicopter. L'Agardere arrived at 1735 and, after ensuring that both boats were happy with the situation, Penlee lifeboat turned for home. She eventually entered Newlyn harbour at 2015 after over nine hours at sea.

It was a hard shout in very rough seas and poor weather, later described as "violent and freezing conditions" and "the worst channel storm for years".

It was far too dangerous to run for Mounts Bay or Falmouth, so the Mabel Alice lifeboat had no choice than to make for Plymouth, escorting the 'St Simeon' for 9 hours during height of storm. The escort was then handed over to the Plymouth Lifeboat.

Unfortunately the 'St Simeon' sank while nearing Plymouth. The crew of five, who had taken to a life-raft, were rescued by the Plymouth Lifeboat Thomas Forehead and Mary Rowse 11.

Coxswain Ken Thomas received the RNLI Thanks on Vellum. Certificates of Thanks awarded to Edwin Madron; Mike Inskip; Joey Jeffery; Martin Tregonning; and Robert Marks.

Coxswain Vivian Pentecost, Falmouth Lifeboat & Coxswain John Dare, Plymouth Lifeboat were also awarded the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum.

RNLI team work at its best!

Photos from the RNLI collection and Mick French.