At 16:33 Falmouth Coastguard requested that Falmouth Inshore Lifeboat be launched following a 999 call reporting a family stranded with their small open boat on a small beach between East Portholland and Porthluney Cove.

The Inshore Lifeboat launched from her slipway at 16:39 and having rounded Zone Point headed up to the east arriving off Portholland at 17:01. The family were soon located on an isolated beach. A crew member was put ashore to assess the situation and it was found that the family had ended up on the beach after it had started taking water when the bung had fallen out leaving them no option but to beach it in the small cove.

Due to the rocky nature of the foreshore and the ground swell that was running it was decided the best method of evacuation was to anchor the inshore lifeboat and to ferry the family out in small groups using the open boat with a temporary bung which had been made by the crewman ashore. This was completed by 17:40 and having recovered its anchor the Inshore Lifeboat then towed the boat back to Portloe where the family and their boat were safely landed at 17:58, the Inshore Lifeboat being released to return to station.

The Inshore Lifeboat was back on its slipway by 18:24 where it was refuelled, rehoused and was ready for service by 18:40.

The two adults, two children and a baby had been out in their boat exploring the coast when the incident had occurred. Although they were well equipped and all of them were wearing lifejackets they did not have a spare bung so they had been unable to stop the water entering the boat so had wisely headed for the nearest beach.

An Inshore Lifeboat Service

 

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