25/08/2026
August has been a rather busy time for Torbay RNLI.
Alongside the SAR (Search and Rescue) demonstration on Sunday 10th and StormFest on 22nd, our Torbay Crew have been busy responding to over 10 shouts. Most of these have been to incidents typical to this time of year when many of us are attracted recreationally into and onto the seas around the Bay.
Yesterday’s shout was an interesting example:
The weather and sea conditions were untypical, and to say the least, challenging - very windy and being from an easterly direction, whipping up some cresty swells and impressive coastal waves. This did not however, deter everybody from popping into the water.
At 5:15pm a report came in of a person in difficulties off Torre Abbey Sands. Then information arrived that three further swimmers had entered the sea to assist, all of whom could be in trouble.
Our crew launched the All-weather Lifeboat (ALB) at 5:28pm and made the journey across the Bay to the scene at Curly Bridge by 5:42pm to discover all casualties had made it safely out of the water with the primary casualty already checked and okayed by a nearby ambulance by the time we had arrived. Importantly all were safe and we were stood down and returned to Brixham.
Happy days… or so we thought, until arriving at the head of Brixham’s Breakwater, a new report came in of three persons cut off by the tide at the South end of the beach at St Mary’s Bay, and coincidentally another casualty on the North end who had incurred a nasty injury to their foot.
It was decided to take along the In-shore Lifeboat (ILB), so two Crew from the boathouse launched to rendez-vous with ALB at entrance to Brixham Harbour adding further crew and skills to suit the situation as briefed to us by Falmouth Coastguard.
The ALB then escorted the ILB around Berry Head to St Mary’s Beach.
As our lifeboats arrived on scene, the CRT (Coastguard Rescue Team) who had also made it to the beach from the land, felt the conditions on the rocky coastline along the Bay were too risky for the ILB to approach from the sea.
With the tide falling, an alternative approach to reach all casualties from the land was adopted by the CRT.
With our lifeboats providing only visual support and safety cover, members of the CRT donned water suits and escorted three people off the rocks. They also reached the fourth person who had a badly cut toe on the North end of the beach and helped her to an Air Ambulance.
Again all casualties and SAR services returned safely. Our own lifeboats made it back to station by 7:03pm and made both boats ready for service by 7:28pm.
Earlier shouts this month included:
Sunday 9th; Launched ALB at 3:00pm to take over a tow about 14 miles East-South-East of Dartmouth. The towing vessel, Dartmouth RNLI’s Atlantic 85 lifeboat was struggling to tow a hefty 10 metre cruiser. Our ALB launched and took the cruiser into Dartmouth where the harbour authority took over. Our Crew returned to station at 6:55pm.
Tuesday 11th; ILB launched at 5:30pm to assist an 18 ft speed boat that had broken down off Paignton beach with three persons on board. Our Crew were stood down at 5:39pm as another leisure craft had come to their aid and were successfully towing the casualty back to shore.
Sunday 16th; At 9:23pm Solent Coastguard informed us of several reports of a swimmer having been seen leaving Meadfoot Beach who had not returned after an hour’s absence. A CRT who had responded and were on scene, had discovered clothing and a towel on the beach.
Our Deputy Launch Authorizer and Coxswain on duty agreed to launch both lifeboats.
Both boats proceeded to Meadfoot where they conducted a shore line search. A Rescue helicopter was also tasked to assist with search. ALB fire parachute flares were fired several times to illuminate the area. However, nobody was found.
Both lifeboats were stood down By Solent at 11:20pm and returned to station.
Monday 17th; ILB launched at 4:08pm to assist two teenagers on a paddle board who were being blown off-shore from Goodrington Beach. Our Crew arrived to discover the boarders had made it back into shallow waters where CRT members were giving them some straight-talking water-safety and paddleboarding advice.
Our crew who enroute had spotted an older couple on inflatables a long way offshore, advised the CRT at Meadfoot to keep an eye on them. Since they didn’t seem to be making any progress back to shore, Solent decided to request our further assistance. However, they too managed eventually to make their own way back.
Tuesday 18th; At 5:02pm, Falmouth Coastguard requested our assistance to transport a male from St Mary’s Bay to an ambulance which would come to our Brixham lifeboat station. CRT members were already on scene and had administered first aid to a gash on his right foot but had requested a transfer by sea as the quickest and easiest route to provide further medical support. We arrived on scene at 5:19pm, departed the beach at 5:37pm, were back at station at 5:52pm and had transferred the casualty to the ambulance by 5:55pm.
Thursday 20th; At 6:10pm our station received a ‘Tasking Request’ to assist police services seeking a missing person. However, soon after we launched the person was confirmed located and we were stood down.
Friday 21st; Our ILB launched at 1:26pm to attend a woman reported to be in the water south of Hollicombe head. By the time our ILB crew arrived the casualty had already been extracted from the water by the Dart Princess ferry and was receiving medical attention from CRT members. The casualty was transferred to our ILB and taken to Paignton harbour and into the safe hands of an awaiting ambulance team.
