Lifeboats Launched: First Call-Outs of 2025 for Newquay RNLI

Newquay RNLI Crew Respond to Early Morning Alert

Newquay RNLI lifeboat volunteers were called into action for the first time in 2025 at 8:27am on Sunday, 19th January. The crew was tasked with a shoreline search after clothing and personal items were discovered on the footbridge at Porth Island.

Both of the station’s inshore lifeboats were launched in response, working alongside police, Coastguard rescue teams from Newquay and Padstow, and the Coastguard search and rescue helicopter. The search took place in a moderate south-easterly breeze and slight seas. By 9:20am, it was confirmed that the individual in question had been found safe at home. The lifeboat crew returned to the station by 10am after preparing the boats for the next call.

Ann-Marie Dale’s First Shout as Launch Authority

The incident marked two milestones for the Newquay RNLI team. Not only was it the first shout of the year, but it also marked the first call-out for Ann-Marie Dale in her new role as Launch Authority.

Ann-Marie, a local property landlord and former NHS communications specialist, began volunteering with Newquay RNLI in 2019 as a deputy lifeboat press officer. She later expanded her involvement, joining the shore crew in 2021 and becoming lifeboat press officer in 2022. In November 2024, Ann-Marie qualified as a Launch Authority, a role requiring her to authorise lifeboat launches 24 hours a day when requested by the Coastguard.

Reflecting on the experience, Ann-Marie said: “Being a launch authority is a big responsibility but it’s no different to the commitment shown by every other RNLI volunteer. I’d been checking my pager was still switched on all week and I thought I’d be nervous, but when it went off for my first shout as launch authority, when I was at home getting ready to go to the station for our Sunday morning exercise, I was fine. I stayed calm and remembered the training and advice I’d been given by my colleagues. The shout was a good team effort and a positive outcome for everyone involved.”

A Strong Start for Newquay RNLI in 2025

The quick response and collaboration between the RNLI crew, local emergency services, and Coastguard teams highlight the dedication of all involved. With their first call-out successfully handled, Newquay RNLI begins another year of providing vital search and rescue services along the Cornish coast.

Photo: Newquay RNLI inshore lifeboat crew searching the coastline around Porth Island during Sunday’s shout – Credit: Newquay Coastguard