At 23:42 Falmouth Coastguard requested that Falmouth Inshore Lifeboat be launched following a report from police control that a yacht moored off Malpas in the Truro River had reported seeing an upturned boat float past them. The Falmouth Coastguard Mobile was also tasked to assist.

The Inshore Lifeboat launched from her slipway at 23:48 and made best possible speed up the River Fal commencing its search of the Truro River from just above Tolverne at 00:02. Nothing was found in the water during the search up river to Malpas and having spoken to the yacht that had reported the object it was eventually believed that the object they had probably seen was a derelict hull which the Inshore Lifeboat crew had located on the shoreline just downstream of Malpas. At 00:57 the coastguard called off the search and the Inshore Lifeboat was released to return to station.

The Inshore Lifeboat was back on its slipway by 01:23 where it was refuelled, rehoused and was ready for service by 01:40.

The derelict hull that was located had been secured to a large tree branch which had probably floated off the shoreline further up river on the spring tides and had been taken down past Malpas on the ebb tide before getting caught up on the north bank of the river. Although this was a false alarm the yachts crew were right to report the object, as this could have easily been an upturned punt with people in the water.

An Inshore Lifeboat Service

 

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