Daring Rescue at Whitsand Bay: RNLI Volunteers Respond to Tide-Trapped Individuals and Dogs

Photo Credit – Looe RNLI / Ian Foster

In a remarkable display of coordination and bravery, RNLI volunteers at Looe Lifeboat Station, alongside multiple coastguard teams, successfully conducted a rescue operation for two individuals and their dogs, who found themselves in peril at Tregonhawke Cove in Whitsand Bay on the afternoon of Saturday, 24 February 2024.

The Falmouth Coastguard Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre was alerted to the emergency through a 999 call. The callers reported they were cut off by an unexpectedly rapid incoming tide, with no safe path to escape the cove as large waves began to encroach upon the shore.

Responding swiftly, the Looe RNLI volunteer crew was paged at 2:41 pm, and within minutes, launched two lifeboats, the Atlantic 85 Sheila and Dennis Tongue II and the D Class Ollie Naismith II. Despite challenging sea conditions, the crews hastened to the scene, where they encountered significant wave sets and a hazardous shore dump near the beach.

With the coastguard teams from Looe, Tamar, and Plymouth on the cliff tops unable to establish visual contact with the stranded party or safely conduct a rope rescue, the decision was made to call in a HMCG helicopter. The helicopter, call sign #rescue924, was already in flight near the Lizard and reached the scene within 14 minutes. A winchman was lowered to the beach to assess and subsequently rescue the stranded individuals and their pets, hoisting them to safety where coastguard rescue teams awaited on the cliff top.

Following the successful extraction, the RNLI lifeboats were released from the scene, allowing the volunteers to return to their stations. Notably, during this rescue, a coincidental launch involved a sister lifeboat, the Atlantic 85 Sheila and Dennis Tongue III from Staithes & Runswick RNLI, marking a rare instance where two lifeboats funded by the legacy of Sheila and Dennis Tongue were deployed simultaneously — a testament to the far-reaching impact of their generosity.

This operation underscores the critical role of legacy gifts in supporting RNLI’s life-saving missions. With 60% of lifeboat launches funded by such contributions, the story highlights the importance of community support in ensuring the safety and effectiveness of rescue operations at sea.

For more information on leaving a gift in your will please have a look at https://rnli.org/sup…/give-money/leave-a-gift-in-your-will