At 12:19 Falmouth Coastguard requested that Falmouth Inshore Lifeboat be launched following a call from the 8.5 metre Diving Rigid Inflatable Mytilus reporting that they were near Gull Rock and were concerned for the condition of one of their divers who had just surfaced. At the time the dive boat still had another pair of divers in the water.

The Inshore Lifeboat launched from her slipway at 12:24 and headed around Zone Point and up towards Veryan Bay. Radio contact was made with the dive boat and it was confirmed that they had recovered their other divers and were heading back towards Falmouth to rendezvous with the Inshore Lifeboat. At 12:32 the two boats met up off Killigerran Head and one of the lifeboat crew and first aid equipment was transferred to the dive boat and while the two boats continued back towards Falmouth the casualty’s condition was assessed.

It was decided to leave the casualty onboard the boat and at 13:13 the dive boat arrived at the lifeboat pontoon to be met by an ambulance paramedic. The casualty was then transferred into a stretcher and taken to the boathouse where his condition was monitored until the arrival of an Ambulance at 13:30 which took him to Treliske Hospital for further treatment.

The Inshore Lifeboat was back on its slipway by 13:35 where it was refuelled, rehoused and was ready for service by 13:50.

The casualty had been diving with his wife on the wreck of the Hera just inside Gull Rock, when he had got into difficulties. The pair had surfaced but the casualty had swallowed a quantity of water and was suffering from the effects of the cold and shock so the skipper of the dive boat had wisely called for assistance.

An Inshore Lifeboat Service

 

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