At 09:14 Falmouth Coastguard requested that the Falmouth Inshore Lifeboat be launched following reports of Dolphins being stranded in Porth Creek off the Percuil River. Portscatho Coastguard Mobile had also been tasked along with the British Divers Marine Life Rescue Team.

The Inshore Lifeboat launched from her slipway at 09:20 and headed up the Percuil River to Porth Creek. As the Inshore Lifeboat made its way up the creek to rendeaux with the Coastguards at Frow, the crew spotted at least one stranded Dolphin and a large number of deceased ones in the upper reaches of the creek. It was soon apparent that this was a major marine wildlife catastrophe and Falmouth Coastguard was requested to ask for backup from the relevant authorities. There were also in excess of forty dolphins congregating in the mouth of the creek.

The Inshore Lifeboat then commenced a search of the creek and located a total of eight still alive. Both lifeboat crewmen were put ashore to assist the dolphins while the Inshore Lifeboat started to ferry the BDMLR volunteers to the scene. By 11:00 five of the dolphins had been successfully returned to the water, with only three remaining stranded. One of these was in a very poor condition so it had to be put to sleep by a vet while the other two were placed in specialist floating stretchers and taken further down the creek into the deeper water of the Percuil River, which was reached by 13:20. As the two inflatable Ribs slowing made there way down river towards St Mawes and open water further groups of Dolphins joined including a pod of about one hundred that had been in the shallow water at Place Manor Creek.

Eventually at 14:35 the two dolphins were released off Lighthouse Beach and swam off to join the rest, which by this time were estimated to number over two hundred dolphins. The inshore lifeboat then returned to Porth Creek to collect various equipment before being released to return to station at 15:05.

The Inshore Lifeboat was back on its slipway by 15:20 where it was refuelled, rehoused and was ready for service by 15:45.

There is no obvious reason why these strandings occurred, in total causing the death of twenty-six dolphins. All concerned put in a massive effort to help those that had survived the strandings and to prevent the others in the area from going ashore.

An Inshore Lifeboat Service

 

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