1913 Trawler Destroyed by Fire at Sailors Creek

An historic wooden trawler due to relaunch in just two weeks has been destroyed by fire at Sailors Creek on the Penryn River.

The inshore lifeboat from Falmouth was paged at 12.45pm on Thursday 19th February 2026 at the request of Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service to attend a boat fire at Sailors Creek.

Lifeboat Launched Within Minutes

The inshore lifeboat Robina Nixon Chard launched within 10 minutes and arrived on scene at 1.05pm.

The vessel was high and dry on the beach and it was confirmed that there were no persons at risk in the water.

HM Coastguard released the lifeboat from service at 1.34pm. The crew returned to station by 1.55pm.

The station has also shared details of its fundraising campaign, which can be found here:
https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/falmouth-lifeboat-station

Full Statement From Sailors Creek CIC

In a statement, the Directors of Sailors Creek CIC confirmed the vessel was Keewaydin, a 1913 Lowestoft wooden trawler that had been under restoration at Sailors Creek.

They said:

“We are devastated to confirm that Keewaydin, the 1913 Lowestoft wooden trawler that has been under restoration at Sailors Creek, was destroyed by fire today.”

“Emergency services attended promptly, and we are profoundly grateful for their swift response. We can confirm that no one was seriously injured.”

“Keewaydin has been at the heart of an extensive two-year restoration led by master shipwright Spike Davies, supported by an extraordinary community of volunteers, donors and well-wishers.

“With her launch just two weeks away, this loss is deeply felt by everyone involved and by the many people who have followed her journey.

“The fire is understood to have been an accident. The circumstances are being reviewed, and we are cooperating fully with the relevant authorities. We will not be making further comment until more information is available.

“We respectfully ask members of the public not to visit the site. The area is unsafe and access is restricted while assessments are carried out. Your cooperation will help ensure the safety of everyone and allow necessary work to take place.

“We would like to thank our community for the overwhelming messages of support already received. Right now, our focus is on supporting those most directly affected and taking the necessary next steps.

“Further updates will be shared in due course through our official channels.”

The fire is understood to have been an accident. Further updates are expected in due course through official channels.