Busy weekend for RNLI crews in Looe
'The prompt responses by our crew ensured these incidents were easily resolved before escalating into something more serious'
Looe RNLI's volunteer crews have rescued two teenagers who got into difficulty on a paddleboard.
A team was called to Downderry on Saturday evening (May 31) in what they've called a 'busy few hours', after responding to two separate incidents.
In this one incident, the pair were seen a fair way out to sea, unable to return to shore.
They were taken back to the Lifeboat Station to warm up.
Sharing the update on Saturday evening, the RNLI said: "After the D Class returned from an incident above Looe bridge, crew on the Atlantic 85 headed towards Downderry to rescue paddleboarders.
"Yesterday evening, Saturday 31 May 2025, Falmouth Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) received a 999 call expressing concern for 2 children on an inflatable being pushed by an adult in deep water by Looe Police Station. With launch pagers sounding at 7.13 pm our volunteer crews launched the D Class inshore lifeboat Ollie Naismith II within seven minutes. Making their way upriver under the bridge, our crew found the group, with a kayak, safe ashore on the riverbank by the car park. Confirming they were not in any difficulties, our crew had a conversation with the group about the risks with swimming in the river and the lifeboat was stood down by the coastguards to return to station.
"After washing down and refuelling the D Class ready for service our crew left the station around 7.45 pm only to be paged again an hour later at 8.57 pm. This time Falmouth MRCC requested the launch of the charity’s Atlantic 85 Sheila and Dennis Tongue II to investigate a report of paddleboarders off Downderry who were waving their paddles ‘as in distress’. Sixteen volunteers responded to the launch page and our shore crew launched the Atlantic 85 within eight minutes. Arriving on scene our crew found two teenagers on a paddleboard a fair way out to sea, unable to return to shore in the fading light. As the pair were cold and wet, a decision was taken to take them back to the Lifeboat Station to warm up and await the arrival of their parents.
"Even though the nature of these two incidents were different, our crews commented that the first informants did the right thing in contacting the coastguards on 999 to express their concerns. The prompt responses by our crew ensured these incidents were easily resolved before escalating into something more serious."