| Friday 29th November |
Station Tamar Class Lifeboat "City of London III" |
The Sennen Cove all-weather lifeboat 'City of London III ' launched at 10.20 am on Friday 29 November, following reports from HM Coastguard Falmouth that a crew member of a 11 metre fishing vessel was injured, about 1 mile east of the Wolf Rock.
The HM Coastguard helicopter was also tasked to assist. In moderate seas and winds, under the command of Coxswain Ollie George, the lifeboat arrived with the fishing vessel around 10.45 am.
Two RNLI volunteer crew were transferred to the fishing boat to assess the injured fisherman and give casualty care. The casualty had sustained a head injury; he was conscious but confused. A few minutes later HM Coastguard helicopter arrived on scene.
Due to the restricted space on the fishing vessel’s deck, the Coastguard helicopter winched their paramedic, with a stretcher, down to the all-weather lifeboat. He was then transferred to the fishing vessel to assist the casualty. The paramedic and RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew worked together to prepare the injured seaman for evacuation. He was then transferred to the 'City of London III' and then winched to the Coastguard helicopter which took him to Treliske hospital in Truro for further treatment
The 'City of London III' then returned to Sennen Cove at 12.10 pm |
| Monday 4th November |
Station Tamar Class Lifeboat "City of London III" |
On Monday 4 November the Sennen Cove RNLI Tamar class lifeboat ' City of London III ' launched at 2.45 am, following a request from HM Coastguard Falmouth to carry out a search for an activated distress beacon.
Initially the search area was about a mile off shore between Gwennap Head and Porthcurno.
The Penlee Severn class lifeboat ' Ivan Ellen' was also launched to assist in the search. It was further decided to enlist the help of the Coastguard Rescue helicopter 924 which arrived on scene at about 3.30 am.
A slow and methodical search was carried out, gradually widening the area covered. The helicopter also flew over the land area, since there was always a possibility that the beacon was inland. The search area was lengthened to include the stretch from Land's End to Lamorna.
At about 4.40 am the helicopter was released from the search and returned to base. The two lifeboats continued to sweep the coastal areas until 6.00 am when it was finally decided that the beacon must be somewhere on land. Consequently the lifeboats were stood down at 6.15 am.
The Sennen Cove lifeboat accompanied the Penlee lifeboat back to Newlyn, and waited in the harbour for favourable tides to enable a recovery at Sennen Cove.
The 'City of London III' arrived back at station at 8.45 am.
An interesting footnote to this service is that, because our coxswain,Ollie George, was on weekend leave until 9.00 am on Monday, the Second Coxswain, Dan Shannon took the Sennen Cove boat out. At the same time the Penlee boat was skippered by the Deputy Coxswain, Jack Shannon, who is, of course, Dan's brother. Quite a family enterprise! |
| Sunday 12th May |
Relief Tamar Class Lifeboat "Peter and Leslie-Jane Nicholson" |
The relief Tamar class lifeboat "Peter and Leslie-Jane Nicholson" launched at 2220 on Sunday 12th May to assist a 16m motor yacht with five persons on board, machinery and electrical failure, 7 miles west-southwest of Sennen Cove.
The yacht was towed to the safety of Newlyn harbour, arriving at 0215.The lifeboat returned to Sennen Cove at 0310.
Weather:- fine with a fresh southeasterly breeze and slight sea.
Crew:- Ollie George; John Murray; Dan Shannon; Puddi Puddiphatt; Nick Hichens; Tom Nicholas; Simon Williams, Supersonic Woodward. |
| Thursday 2nd May |
Relief Tamar Class Lifeboat "Peter and Leslie-Jane Nicholson" |
The relief Tamar class lifeboat "Peter and Leslie-Jane Nicholson" launched at 2115 on Thursday 2nd May to assist a yacht with two persons on board, in difficulties west of Pendeen.
The yacht was towed to the safety of Newlyn harbour, arriving at 0050.The lifeboat returned to Sennen Cove at 0155.
Weather:- fine with a light northerly breeze and slight sea.
Crew:- Ollie George; Richard Brown; Dan Shannon; John Murray; Phil Hichens; Elliot Andrews; Simon Williams. |
| Monday 18th March |
Relief Tamar Class Lifeboat "Peter and Leslie-Jane Nicholson" |
The relief Tamar class lifeboat "Peter and Leslie-Jane Nicholson" launched at 1530 to assist in a search for a missing person in the Cape Cornwall - Botallack area. The lifeboat carried out a shoreline search from Cot Valley towards Pendeen Watch.
The missing person was located safe ashore at appx 1630 and the lifeboat returned to station at 1700.
Crew:- Ollie George; Richard Brown; Dan Shannon; Jason Woodward; Alvin Thomas (on his first service launch !).
Weather:- Periods of rain in fresh northwesterlies - with a moderate sea.
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| Wednesday 13th March |
Relief Tamar Class Lifeboat "Peter and Leslie-Jane Nicholson" |
The lifeboat launched just after midnight to assist the French trawler La Fanette, disabled, with 6 persons on board, some 10 miles west-northwest of Sennen Cove.
The lifeboat arrived with the trawler an hour later in severe conditions with a swell peaking near 20ft (roughly a two-storey house) and winds gusting to over 70mph.
Another trawler had attempted to pass a tow without success. After careful consideration the lifeboat crew decided that the risk of incurring damage and / or injuries to the crew in attempting to pass a tow - and subsequently attempting to tow the trawler - was too great, and the lifeboat stood by the vessel.
The rate of drift would have put the trawler ashore in roughly three hours. With this in mind, the vessel`s crew deployed their trawling gear and warps, which dramatically reduced the rate of drift and stabilised the situation.
Having consulted within their organisation at the highest level; also with counter-pollution authorities, the trawler`s owners and insurers, the Coastguard advised that the crew would be evacuated by helicopter.
In what the lifeboat crew described as a brilliant piece of flying, the 6 crewmen were evacuated by the coastguard helicopter - the operation has been widely described elsewhere on facebook and other media.
Penlee lifeboat had also been launched around 0330 to provide further cover to the overall operation, and endured a very poor passage around the Runnelstone and The Longships.
With the trawler`s crew safe, the lifeboats were released roughly around 0500 and both lifeboats proceeded to Newlyn, as conditions were way too poor for recovery at Sennen Cove.
The trawler was left anchored by her fishing gear. She dragged this over a few miles and was eventually taken in tow in slightly improved conditions by her sister trawler later in the afternoon and towed stern-first back towards France. A tug from Brest met the convoy half way across the channel; and with the assistance of a second tug, the La Fanette eventually arrived at Brest some 72 hours after being taken under tow.
Conditions early on Wednesday morning were very likely the worst that Sennen Cove Lifeboat has launched into since the `Julian Paul` job in 1994.
Crew:- . Ollie George; Richard Brown; Dan Shannon; Kirstan Gorvin; Jason Woodward; Nick Hichens; Tom Nicholas
Weather:- Squally showers in westerly winds gusting to over 70mph. Very rough sea. |
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