4th July 2022. Recently, the National Coastwatch Institution at Rame Head heard a Mayday relay from a yacht on fire, west of Rame Head, with two persons onboard,

The yacht was visible from the station and the volunteer watchkeepers relayed the Mayday message to HM Coastguard at Falmouth along with the yachts position. Military auxiliary Smit Dart and MCF Jules offered immediate assistance, while another yacht retrieved the two casualties from the water and transferred them to MCF Jules for transport to Queen Ann’s Battery where Falmouth Coastguard had

arranged for an ambulance to transport them to hospital. The Plymouth lifeboat was launched to escort MCF Jules back to Queen Ann's Battery.

Meanwhile Smit Dart had fire hose and jet in operation and reported that the fire was coming from front hatch and cockpit. Unfortunately, despite their efforts, the yacht sank in Whitsand Bay.

This incident shows how vital effective communications are in an emergency and how our watchkeepers were able to pick up the Mayday relay immediately and instigate the rescue operations.