At 17:05 Falmouth Coastguard requested that Falmouth Inshore Lifeboat be launched following a call from the 26ft Motor Boat Liberty Grace with three people onboard reporting that she had fouled her propeller on a Lobster pot marker and was unable to clear the obstruction.

The Inshore Lifeboat launched from her slipway at 17:11 and arrived on scene approximately 1 mile South of Gull Rock at 17:29. Having placed one of the lifeboat crew onboard the motor boat it soon became apparent that although the boat was no longer attached to the fishing gear, the marker itself, a 25ltr drum was jamming the stern drive and could not be removed. In view of this a towline was passed to the boat and it was towed back towards Mylor in the Falmouth Estuary. By 19:06 the motorboat had been safely placed in its berth at Mylor Harbour and the Inshore Lifeboat was released to return to station.

The Inshore Lifeboat was back on its slipway by 19:22 where it was refuelled, rehoused and was ready for service by 19:40.

The skipper and crew onboard the motorboat had tried unsuccessfully to clear the obstruction before calling the coastguard for assistance. As the marker buoy was firmly lodged in the stern gear, which also prevented it from being lifted, it was decided it would be better to tow the vessel back to its berth in Mylor where it could be lifted out of the water allowing the object to be removed without causing any additional damage.

An Inshore Lifeboat Service