Exmouth RNLI volunteer crew were called out five times at the weekend.

On Friday 10th April, while the Mersey class all weather lifeboat (ALB) was on exercise, a mayday call was made at 7.32pm from a man on board a 17ft Dory boat. He reported electrical problems. There were 4 persons on board, 2 adults and 2 children. By the time the lifeboat reached the Dory in the Exe Estuary, the skipper had managed to tow it to the shore at the Recreation Ground.

On Saturday 11th April. Portland Coastguards received a distress call from a person on board a speedboat near Sandy Bay. The line cut out before the call finished and so not knowing the extent of problem, both boats were launched at 2.04pm to investigate. The volunteer crew found the broken down speedboat near Littleham Cove with 4 persons on board. The inshore lifeboat (ILB) towed the speedboat back to Shelley Beach, Exmouth.

At 3.07pm, the same afternoon, the ILB was relaunched to 2 adult females (teenagers) cut off by tide, also in the Littleham Cove area. Believed to be holidaymakers, the girls were taken by boat to Sandy Bay.

On Sunday 12th April at 5.37pm a reported sighting of a 3 person jetski capsizing just off Exmouth beach initiated an ILB launch. The 3 people were picked up by the occupants of a passing Rib (Rigid Inflatable Boat) and the ILB recovered the jetski back to shore.

On Monday, 14th April, good wind conditions meant there were over forty windsurfers on the seafront at Exmouth. While the ILB was on exercise in the estuary, they received a call from Brixham Coastguards at 3.50 pm after reports of a female windsurfer waving and appearing to be in difficulty. The crew diverted to Exmouth seafront but the windsurfer had made her way to shore. The lifeboat crew checked she was OK and finished their exercise.

Notes to editors 

• Exmouth RNLI lifeboat station has been operating since 1858. To learn more about the lifeboat stations past and present go to www.exmouth-lifeboat.org.uk 
• Attached photo of the Jetski being towed by the shore (Sunday 12th April 2009).

RNLI media contacts

If you require further information or are interested in getting any interviews, please contact Jo Damsell, RNLI Voluntary Lifeboat Press Officer on 07551 635363 or JDamsell@aol.com.