2:54pm Thursday 10th December 2009
The quick thinking of a dog walker has been praised by Coastguards after an oyster fisherman was plucked from the cold waters of the River Fal on Saturday.
The man was taking his pet for an afternoon stroll near Trelissick gardens when he spotted what seemed to be an empty punt drifting up the Fal at 3.30pm.
After contacting Falmouth Coastguards to report it, he called back moments later to say that there was a man close to the punt, fighting to keep his head above the water.
The oyster fisherman had been wading in the Fal and using his 12-foot oyster punt to carry his haul of shellfish.
After his punt drifted away he had tried to wade after it but became trapped in a current near Turnaware Point, downstream from the King Harry Ferry.
The Falmouth inshore lifeboat was launched and rescue helicopter 193 from RNAS Culdrose was scrambled to help.
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