Baby rescued from sinking speedboat in Cornwall

A baby and five adults were rescued from a speedboat that had run into rocks in Plaidy, East Looe, Cornwall, on Sunday.

The speedboat was filling with water when rescuers found it about 200 yards from the shore, following calls to the emergency service from passers-by.

The casualties, who were all wearing lifejackets, were transferred to the lifeboat, then taken to Looe lifeboat station in Cornwall were they were treated for the effects of cold. Nobody was injured.

A second lifeboat pulled the speedboat free from the rocks.

Looe Lifeboats operations manager Dave Haines said: “This was a well-executed rescue and demonstrated the excellent training and teamwork of the volunteer crew.

“Those rescued were lucky they were spotted by someone ashore.

“If it had been a bit later, the outcome might have been different.

“Although they were all wearing lifejackets they were a couple of hundred yards from shore, over the rocks with a strong swell.”

Michael Jackman, who witnessed the incident, said: “Well done to the crew.

“I saw this happen and called the coastguard. The boat was travelling fast and only a few yards from the beach when it hit the Limmicks and probably caused the engine to stall,” he told the North Devon Journal.