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Boat: All Weather Lifeboat
Crew: Mark Pollard (Coxswain), John Blakeston, David Proud, Snowy Angove, Carl Beardmore, Diane Bush, Andy Jenkin
Location: August Rock, entrance to Helford River
Shout Date: 04/08/2008 - 23:15
Weather:SE 5, Moderate Sea & Swell, Poor Visibility, Overcast with Rain

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At 23:06 Falmouth Coastguard requested that both the Falmouth All Weather and Inshore Lifeboats be launched after the Coastguard had received a mobile phone call and then a VHF call from a Rigid Inflatable Bowash with six people onboard reporting that they had hit August Rock, causing three people to be thrown in the water and at least one person a serious head injury. A Rescue Helicopter from RNAS Culdrose was also tasked.

Falmouth All Weather Lifeboat left its pontoon berth at 23:15 and headed out the harbour and across the Bay arriving on scene off Rosemullion Head at 23:30. The Inshore Lifeboat which had arrived on scene at 23:22 had located the Rigid Inflatable on the inside of August Rock and found that the people who had been thrown from the boat had managed to get back onboard, but one person had suffered what was considered to be a serious head injury, and others were in shock. The Inshore Lifeboat placed a crewman onboard to give initial first aid while the boat was towed out into open water.

At 23:38 the casualties and the lifeboat crewman were transferred to the All Weather Lifeboat where further checks were carried out and it was decided that the person with the head injury should be evacuated by helicopter. The Lifeboat headed out to sea to carryout the helicopter winching which was completed by 00:14, the casualty being taken to Treliske Hospital via Boscowan Playing Field in Truro as the low cloud base prevented the helicopter using the hospital landing site. The Lifeboat then headed back into Falmouth with the remaining five casualties, the Inshore Lifeboat having already towed the vessel back to the Lifeboat Station.

The All Weather Lifeboat was back alongside its pontoon berth at 00:30 where the casualties were met by their relatives. The lifeboat was then requested to launch again to join the Inshore Lifeboat in the assisting a French Yacht, which had become caught on a Lobster Pot off the Manacles.

The 18ft Rigid Inflatable with two adults and four children onboard had been returning to Gillan Creek in the Helford after a night out in Falmouth. They had hit the August Rock Buoy while travelling at a considerable speed throwing the three people into the water and badly injuring one of the adults. Luckily they had all been wearing lifejackets and had been able to raise the alarm quickly.