Fowey lifeboat crew endangered by thefts (From Boating Cornwall)

Fowey lifeboat crew endangered by thefts

9:15am Monday 30th January 2012 in News

Over the past ten weeks Fowey’s RNLI lifeboat station has been victim of a series of thefts.

Four quick release stainless steel shackle assemblies have been stolen from the all weather lifeboat "Maurice and Joyce Hardy" whilst it has been secured on its mooring at Berrills Yard.

The thefts have been on four separate occasions and all committed during the night.

These shackle assemblies are vital pieces of safety equipment as they secure the safety rail to the lifeboat, helping protect the lives of the volunteer crew whilst they are on deck.

Each one of these shackle assemblies costs the RNLI approximately £150 to replace. The RNLI is a charity funded by donations, legacies and fundraising, £600 of which now has to be used to replace this equipment.

Each lifeboat station is currently fundraising to purchase the new lifejackets which have been developed by the RNLI - £600 would buy two of these.

The volunteer crew of Fowey’s lifeboat station have been called out twice in the last month in weather conditions where the use of the safety rail has been vital.

The first callout was on December 30 when the all-weather lifeboat was required to proceed across St Austell bay to Chapel Point, just off Portmellon, to search for a dog which had fallen down the cliffs and was trapped.

The more recent callout was on January 7 when the volunteer crew took the Maurice and Joyce Hardy to assist a broken down fishing boat which was 22 miles out into the English Channel.

This required the crew to set up a towline to the fishing boat in moderate weather and a large ground swell, and then spend several hours monitoring the tow whilst returning the fishing boat to Mevagissey.

Both of these callouts were during the hours of darkness.

Carl Gudmunsen, RNLI station mechanic and a fourth generation volunteer crewman, said: "I am shocked and disappointed that some people would place mine and my fellow volunteer crewmembers lives at risk by committing these crimes.

"Both of our most recent shouts have involved several hours at sea with crew members working out on deck in sea conditions which would endanger their lives without the use of the safety rails.

"Fowey as a community works very hard to pay for the upkeep and maintenance of our lifeboats, both of which we are very proud of."