Penlee Lifeboat Crews Called Out Twice Before Most People Had Breakfast

Two emergencies. Two boats. One Sunday morning. Penlee RNLI volunteers were already on the water before most of west Cornwall had filled the kettle.

Falmouth Coastguard tasked the Penlee station twice on 10th May 2026, with both call-outs involving fishermen in difficulty off the Cornish coast.

Eye injury six miles offshore

The first shout came in at 7am. Penlee’s all-weather Severn Class lifeboat, the Ivan Ellen, launched under Coxswain Amy Smith with five RNLI volunteers on board.

A fisherman aboard a Belgian fishing vessel six to seven miles south-east of Newlyn had suffered an eye injury and needed urgent help. Conditions were not in the crew’s favour, with a force 6 north-easterly wind and a moderate sea.

The casualty was transferred from the Belgian vessel onto the Ivan Ellen and brought ashore, before being taken to West Cornwall Hospital for treatment.

In a neat twist, the same crew returned him to his vessel later that day during their regular Sunday training session after he was discharged from hospital.

📷Penlee Lifeboat launch to Belgian fisherman with eye injury, Amy Smith is coxswain. 10/05/26

Fouled propeller off Porthcurno

The pagers went again at 8am. This time it was the turn of Penlee’s B Class Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat, the Mollie and Ivor Dent, launched with Helm James Roberts and three RNLI volunteers.

A fishing vessel off Porthcurno had a fouled propeller and was unable to make its own way back. The crew attempted to clear the fouling at sea, but the moderate conditions made the job difficult.

After a full risk assessment, Helm James decided the safest option was to tow the vessel to the nearest safe harbour at Newlyn rather than continue working on the propeller in the swell.

Both lifeboats made it back to Newlyn without further incident, where they were washed down and made ready for the next shout.

📷Penlee lifeboat launch to Belgian fisherman with eye injury, Amy Smith as coxswain. 10/05/26