RNLI crews rescue yacht in difficulty off coast

RNLI lifeguards and lifeboat crews have rescued a yacht in difficulty in poor conditions off the Cornish coast.

Lifeguards at Perranporth noticed a vessel was in difficulty close to the shore on Monday, the RNLI said.

They launched a rescue watercraft and made contact with the yacht's crew before the Coastguard sent lifeboat crews from St Agnes and Newquay to assist at about 12:25 BST.

The charity said the decision was made to tow the yacht to safety, but due to the poor conditions and the length of the tow required, the all-weather lifeboat from Padstow was launched to take over from Newquay RNLI.

St Agnes RNLI lifeboat crews accompanied the yacht as she was towed to meet the Padstow RNLI lifeboat.

With the yacht and its crew in the safe hands of Padstow RNLI, the St Agnes and Newquay lifeboat crews returned to station.

Padstow lifeboat then towed the yacht back to the lifeboat mooring in the River Camel, as the tide was low so they could not take it into Padstow Harbour, the RNLI said.

Volunteer lifeboat operations manager for St Agnes RNLI Emma Watkins said the rescue was a "a great example of the RNLI working as one crew".

She said: "Each RNLI vessel has its strengths and today showed that the training our crews receive allows them to work together to the highest standards.”

Follow BBC Cornwall on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].