Aground in Polzeath! Coastguard Teams Respond to Stranded Yacht

Tuesday 29th October 2024 – Polzeath Beach

In a coordinated response on Tuesday, multiple coastguard teams and lifeboat crews rushed to Polzeath Beach after receiving several 999 calls reporting a yacht had run aground in the surf. Polzeath Coastguard, HM Coastguard Padstow, Boscastle Coastguard Team, along with lifeboat teams from Padstow and Rock RNLI, all converged on the scene to assist with the incident.

Video Credit: Polzeath Webcam

Coordinated Effort

When Polzeath Coastguard arrived, they found a large yacht stranded on the beach, just within the surf line. Three coastguard members from the team suited up in dry suits and entered the water to reach the vessel and aid the captain. At the same time, both Padstow and Rock lifeboats maintained a safety perimeter just beyond the surf, ensuring further protection in case conditions worsened.

HM Coastguard Padstow shared additional details in their report, noting that the tide had already receded, leaving the yacht in shallow waters. Using a water rescue technique, Polzeath Coastguard members were able to communicate with the captain and safely escort him back to the shore.

Public Safety and Crowd Control

The scene quickly drew interest from bystanders, and coastguard officers took measures to keep the public at a safe distance from the grounded vessel. As the rescue progressed, officers focused on crowd control to ensure everyone’s safety.

Following discussions among the teams, a plan was made to refloat the yacht during the next high tide. With this arrangement in place, all responding coastguard and lifeboat teams were stood down and returned to their respective stations.

Photo Credit: Polzeath Coastguard and Padstow Coastguard