Two Men Rescued From Sinking Jet-Ski Off Gribben Head

A quiet Saturday afternoon of sailing in St Austell Bay turned into a multi-boat rescue when a Pan Pan call came through the radio.

On Saturday 30th May, Falmouth Coastguard received the distress call from two people whose jet-ski was sinking out near Gribben Head. Fowey’s D class lifeboat launched at 2:33pm and made best speed to the scene.

Safety boat already in the bay

Fowey lifeboat Fundraising Chair Rob Collings was already out on the water, covering safety boat duty for the afternoon’s sailing races. He picked up the Pan Pan call along with several other boats in the area, and they all headed straight for the casualties.

By the time Rob got there, CS2, a rib trip boat, was already helping the two men.

Rob said: “We were covering the afternoon’s sailing races when we monitored a Pan Pan call from Falmouth coastguard requesting immediate assistance to a Jet-ski that was sinking. We made best speed to the area and found the Jet-ski and two men being helped by CS2 a rib trip boat. We got the two people onboard our safety boat RIB and took the jet-ski under tow. We were then joined by Fowey RNLI who escorted us back into Fowey harbour. The Jet-ski was handed over to Fowey Harbour Patrol and the two men were delivered safely back onto dry land.”

📷Fowey lifeboat escorts the safety boat and jet-ski back to Fowey Harbour - Credit: Fowey RNLI