Cornwall Search and Rescue Team

26^th December 23:45

Carn Galver, West Cornwall Moors, Search

A search was launched for a missing 23 year old male who had gone missing on the moors. Located safe and well.

Whitemoor, China Clay Area, Search, Missing Person

The Team responded to a search for a missing person, which also involved police dog units and the police helicopter. Moorland areas and rough ground were searched, concluding at around midday when the male was safely located.

26^th November

Ruan Minor, Search and Rescue

A search was launched with police, SARDA, and coastguard teams for an elderly missing man. He was soon located at the bottom of a steep cliff about 70ft down and was brought to the cliff top by the coastguard.

Team members then worked alongside the two helicopters and paramedics that had been called to the scene to help evacuate the male who was suffering from hypothermia after being there all night.

We wish him a speedy recovery.

20^th November

Wadebridge, Search

Team members and search trained police officers worked together to locate a missing male. Located deceased in a river.

Further details are available from Devon and Cornwall Police.

9th November

Mineshaft Incident, St Ives.

Cornwall SRT tasked to provide stand by medical support for a Cornwall County Fire Brigade operation involving a 250ft deep mineshaft.

Further call for assistance – incident 43, West Cornwall Moors and Mines.

Team members were called to search further areas for this missing person who was last seen near his tent at Halsetown. Vorvas Hill (Knills Monument)Halsetown Moor and Rosewall Hill were re-searched.

Police, Fire Brigade and CSRT resources also assessed a deep mineshaft on Rosewall Hill, to establish the safest way of searching it.

Launceston, Search, Missing Male

Call out for an elderly missing male. Located safe and well.

2^nd November

12:00

Penwith Moors and Mine Workings, Search, Missing Person

A major search was launched in areas around Halsetown for a missing person. Due to the profile of the missing man, extensive searches were made of moorland at Halsetown, Rosewall Hill and Steeple Woods.

It was also necessary for mine workings to be searched within the search area, including deep shafts and surface works.

The search was scaled down pending further information from police enquiries.

1^st November

St Dennis, China Clay Area, Search, Missing Walker

A full Team call out was issued for a male who had gone missing after walking his dog in the China Clay areas. The missing male was located and then taken to hospital by ambulance.

25^th October

Polzeath, Search, Missing Person

Call out for vulnerable missing male with existing medical condition. Located safe and well.

Bude, Search, Missing Male

The Team was contacted after an elderly gent went missing. Located very soon after initial contact and before Team deployment.

Portreath, Search, Missing Person

Another missing male, this time in the Portreath and Tehidy areas. Once again, coastguard teams assisted with the search by covering the coastal areas whilst we took on the inland bits which included woodland and farmland.

After almost 7 hours of searching, the missing person was located.

Gwithian Dunes, Search, Missing Male

Police had been conducting enquiries concerning a despondent missing male who had taken an overdose of pills. The Team were called when the mobile phone he had with him had been identified as being switched on and in the Gwithian dunes area.

Search teams from the Coastguard searched cliff tops and the shore, whilst Cornwall SRT searched the inland areas and sand dunes. Assistance was also provided from Rescue 169 helicopter from RMB Chivenor.

The search was stood down after the misper made contact with a friend, reducing the urgency of the search. He then returned home the following morning.

23^rd September 13:00

Daubuz Moor, Truro, Search, Missing Male

The Team were called out to search the extensive area for a missing male. Police located the male safe and well outside of the search area as the Team were arriving at the rendezvous point.

22^nd September

11:30

Goonhavern, Search, Missing Male

Call out for a male who had gone missing with a medical condition and walked off into woodland and extensive countryside. A Team member who was in the area at that time recognised the description and the male was quickly located.

Gunnislake and River Tamar, Search, Two Missing Children

Urgent call out for two missing children who had taken a dog for a walk alongside the River Tamar. The girls who were aged 3 and 13 years old had taken a dog for a walk at 13:00 hours and family members had been searching since 15:00 hours after they failed to return home. With darkness falling and a large search area including open ground and rivers the police were contacted and the Team was called out.

A full team call out was immediately organised and the rescue helicopter from RMB Chivenor was also requested to attend. Other resources were also being considered for deployment when the girls were located near the river bank further downstream. They were then reunited with their family.

Penzance, Search, Missing Person

Police requested assistance from the Team to search for a missing vulnerable female who had absconded from hospital. With a number of locations identified, there was reason to believe that the female may cause harm to herself.

The Team were shortly stood down whilst responding, after a friend took her back to hospital.

Eagle’s Nest, Penwith Moors, Medical Assistance, Injured Mountain Biker

Whilst heading back home after being stood down from our Rescue Cover earlier in the day one of our vehicles was flagged down by a member of the public. We were directed to a mountain biker (not connected with the earlier event) who had taken a heavy fall off their mountain bike and had received a nasty head injury.

Our other vehicle, which was also heading back from the cover was directed to attend to provide further assistance. An ambulance crew from South Western Ambulance Service also arrived at the scene and Team members assisted in placing the casualty on a spinal board for onward transport to Treliske Hospital.

Penwith Moors: Charity Cycle Ride, Search and Rescue Cover.

Members of Cornwall SRT were on stand by during a rescue cover for a charity cycle ride in West Cornwall in aid of Cancer Research UK.

With very foggy conditions, cyclists were challenged to routes of 6, 20 or 40 mile routes, and we were on hand on the North Coast section providing communications, medical and search and rescue cover.

4^th September

Dizzard, Near Bude, Search and Rescue

At 1715 hours today (Monday 4^th September 2006) the police control room requested Cornwall Search and Rescue Team to search for a missing 62 year old local man, who had been missing since 8am. Coastal searches had proved negative and the police helicopter and rescue team had now been asked to attend to search the inland areas.

The CSRT search manager was identifying search areas and briefing Teams for deployment whilst the helicopter provided an initial search of some of those areas.

At around 1900 hours the helicopter had located a person matching the description, unconscious and in nearby woodland, and CSRT was quickly sent to the scene. It rapidly became obvious that the casualty was in a difficult location and needed urgent evacuation to hospital, however the casualty site was not accessible for helicopter or ambulance resources.

The rescue team evacuated the casualty using a Bell mountain rescue stretcher to the waiting helicopter which then transported him to North Devon Hospital in a serious condition. We wish him a speedy recovery and thank the local community for their help.

27^th August

Porthmeor Beach, St Ives, Search, Missing Person

CSRT were contacted to search for a missing 85 year old lady who was holidaying in the area, and believed to be suffering from Alzheimers.

Police and rescue team resources arrived at the rendezvous point and were preparing to search the area when a report came in that a member of the public had found the lady.

18^th August

Perranporth Dunes, Search, Two Missing Children

The Team were called to search the extensive sand dunes for two missing five year old boys who had been missing for about 2-3 hours.

With beach lifeguards, coastguard and police resources covering the coastal and town areas, we were tasked to cover the dunes and inland areas. Thankfully, two walkers on the coastpath spotted the lads looking a bit out of place (one of the boys had their face painted as spiderman!) some way off the dunes and beach, and they were brought back into civilisation and met with police officers who were involved in the search.

Roche, China Clay Area and Roche Rock, Search, Missing Person

Team called out to search for a despondent male, missing in the Roche area.

During the search, another check on his mobile phone revealed that it was now being used outside of the search area in Newquay, and so police stood down the Team to continue with other enquiries.

15^th August

Newquay, Search, Missing Person.

Police paged the Team Controllers to search for a local elderly gentleman suffering from Alzheimer’s, missing from home in the Newquay area.

As Team Controllers were discussing the incident with the police control room, the male turned up safe and well.

Harlyn Bay, Padstow, Search, Missing Person.

Request from Police to assist the coastguard and other resources to search for a missing 14 year old female on holiday near Harlyn Bay. Not familiar with the area, she was last seen walking in the direction of Padstow.

As the call out was being organised, she was located a tad lost in Padstow town centre.

6^th August

Trethurgy, China Clay Area, Medical Assistance, Mountain Biker.

Team Controllers were contacted to assist an injured mountain biker. The initial description of the incident was that the cyclist had fallen from her bike and received a deep laceration on a woodland trail near Trethurgy and that an ambulance had been despatched to the scene.

CSRT sent several team members and the Team 4wd rescue ambulance to assist with any potential search and/or evacuation of the casualty. All resources from both services were at the rendezvous point within a few minutes of the original call and the casualty was carried a short distance by CSRT members and the South Western Ambulance Service crew to the waiting ambulance at the roadside.

Sorry there are no photos available for this callout at this time.

23^rd July

Bugle, Controller Advice and Stand By, Missing Person.

Controllers were alerted to another incident for a missing person by the police control room. These last couple of weeks have highlighted how busy it can be as a Team controller at times, with incidents arriving at all times, day or night, any weather, anywhere and any scenario.

This particular incident started with a 999 call reporting a missing person, however there were initially serious concerns for his safety. With extensive areas of the former clay works potentially needing searching, the Team was contacted for advice about the incident which resulted in CSRT placing its Team members and resources on stand by for a possible call out.

Within the hour, controllers had reassessed the incident with the police and taking into account all of the information, the Team was stood down whilst police enquiries continued.

20^th July

Bude, Search, Missing Person

Cornwall Search and Rescue Team were called out in the early hours of Thursday morning to Bude for another urgent search for a despondent missing person. Team members and incident controllers started making their way to the incident, whilst Devon and Cornwall Police resources continued to search the area.

The missing person was located safe and well with assistance from the police prior to Teams being deployed for searching.

Sorry there are no photos available for this callout at this time.

17^th July

Coombe, Search, Missing Person

The Team was paged by Devon and Cornwall Police control room for an urgent search for a high risk vulnerable missing male. He had been last seen walking through farmland near to his home at about 0930 hrs that morning.

20 team members responded to the incident which involved searches of dense undergrowth, open farmland, woodland, marshland and the Red River.

After 5 ½ hours of intense searching, one of the search teams located and treated the male, who was now mildly hypothermic (yes – even in summer!), whilst other Teams brought out essential equipment to the casualty site. He was then stabilised and treated by one of our MR Casualty Carers and placed in a casualty bag and loaded onto one of our Bell mountain rescue stretchers. We then carried the casualty out to a track where our Land Rover ambulance was waiting to receive the casualty.

Due to the location and nature of the incident, the area was inaccessible for helicopters or road vehicles. With the casualty safely loaded onto our rescue ambulance, he was then taken to the road head where he was transferred to the awaiting South West Ambulance which took him to Treliske Hospital for treatment.

The Team wishes him a speedy recovery.

Bodmin Country Show, Minor Injury, Medical Assist

Whilst at the Bodmin Show with one of our rescue vehicles on display we were requested to attend a person who had suffered a minor injury.

Team medics dealt with the casualty.

13^th July

Pendeen, Stand By, Missing Person Search

The police control room contacted the Team Leader to advise of a potential call out developing in West Cornwall for a search for a missing male.

Team members – many of whom were at a training session at Sticker, near St Austell were placed on stand by whilst the police identified search areas and further information.

Further contact was received later in the evening requesting us to stand down for the evening whilst police enquiries continued.

04:15

St Austell, Search, Missing Person.

Call out for a despondent missing person. Located deceased.

Further details are available from Devon and Cornwall Police.

28^th June

15:00

Further call for assistance – incident 16, Search and Rescue.

Cornwall Search and Rescue Team were called in to cover further search areas after new information had become available and to raise the cumulative probability of detection of other areas already searched.

After discussion between CSRT and police Lost Person Search Manager’s at the scene, it was decided to close the westbound side of the main A30 road into Cornwall to allow rescue team members to search alongside the main road. Police traffic and dog units were called to the scene to allow this.

After being missing for almost 44 hours, and over 26 hours of rescue team involvement including around 430 rescue man hours, the male was located at the bottom of an embankment on the side of the road near Two Bridges. Team members were then involved in the stretcher evacuation alongside Westcountry Ambulance Service paramedics, using a scoop stretcher to take the male to the awaiting ambulance at the top of the steep slope, where he was then taken to hospital.

The perseverance of police and rescue team resources undoubtedly saved this mans life. We wish him a speedy recovery.

A30, Five Lanes, Road Traffic Collision, Medical assistance.

Whilst on our way back from incident 16, Team members in our Land Rover ambulance were first on scene to a road traffic collision involving a lorry and a motorcycle rider.

Other members in the area were also called to the scene. The RTC was marked and protected using Team vehicles whilst CSRT members awaited the attendance of police and ambulance resources. Oxygen and casualty care were given to the motorcycle rider who had a suspected lower arm fracture.

27^th June

18:15

St Hilary, Underground Incident.

A member of the public contacted the police after finding items of clothing beside the top of a mineshaft.

Team members later checked the area and used the information to investigate and assess the area. Other CSRT rope rescue team members and controllers were placed on stand by, along with other Team members who were not at incident 16.

Incident later stood down after initial assessment – false alarm with good intent.

27^th June

02:30

Tregadillett, Near Launceston, Search, Missing Person.

Team resources were called out for a major search of a large area for a vulnerable missing male. The search area included extensive grounds of the care home he was missing from, and surrounding countryside. The search areas included large amounts of farm land, broken ground, open country and wetlands

Due to the time of day, the location and circumstances of the incident we immediately called out the Search and Rescue Dog Association to assist us. They sent two dog teams to assist our 14 members and two Team vehicles. Dartmoor SRT - Okehampton also sent 3 members along. After an intensive amount of searching through the early hours whilst most people would be tucked in up in their beds, Cornwall and Okehampton stood down resources to hand over the reigns to Dartmoor SRT - Tavistock.

After a day of searching Tavistock also stood down with no find and Okehampton and Cornwall SRT’s were called back in to take over.

This incident involved a major amount of resources including 3 police dogs, the police helicopter, a police underwater search unit, three rescue teams and search dogs. This search demonstrates the expertise, commitment and dedication of volunteer search and rescue teams, who all give up their time freely, receiving no payment and at no cost to the public.

Although police enquiries are continuing, the Teams stood down at 22:30 hours after all of the areas had been thoroughly searched.

5^th June

12:15

Callington, Search, Missing Person.

The Team was called out for a vulnerable missing person. Team members responded to the RV at Callington Police Station, however when we arrived the missing persons mobile telephone had just been tracked to an area just over the Tamar in Devon.

As we were already deployed and within a couple of miles of that location, members commenced a hasty search as we called on SARDA and our neighbours from Dartmoor Rescue Group, however the missing person was then quickly located and returned home where police met with them.

Sorry there are no photos available for this callout at this time.

Bodmin Moor and North Cornwall: The Beast Charity Challenge, Search and Rescue Cover.

The Team provided search and rescue cover for this event, and treated three casualties, all with minor injuries.

For more information, including the success of our own CSRT ”Beast” Team, please see our NEWS page.

Sorry there are no photos available for this callout at this time.

Bodmin Moor, Stand By, Light Aircraft Crash.

Team Controllers placed on stand by after a one-person helicopter crashed into marshland on Bodmin Moor.

Police control room later contacted the Team, indicating that our attendance would not be required.

Fatal Incident.

29^th May

17:10

Tolskithy Valley, Redruth, Casualty Search.

Devon and Cornwall Police contacted our Team Leader directly for an urgent search of the Tolskithy Valley for a person who had been possibly seen by a passing motorist jumping off the A30 main road bridge.

CSRT responded along with resources from Westcountry Ambulance Service, Cornwall County Fire Brigade and the police helicopter for a search of the valley floor that included dense undergrowth.

After a very intensive search by CSRT members, we stood down at 19:15 hours without finding any casualty, the call being treated as a false alarm with good intent.

St Columb Minor, Stand By, Missing Person

Team resources had been placed on stand by after the police had contacted us for assistance in the search for a missing vulnerable male.

Police enquiries are continuing.

15:40

Great Tolgus Mine and Wheal Mary Mine, Search, Missing Person

Eighteen members responded to a call out for a missing female who had not been seen since 1100 hours the previous day.

Team members and police resources went to the rendezvous point of Camborne/Redruth Hospital which is where search control was established. From here, several intensive searches were carried out of mining areas including Wheal Mary and the various Tolgus mines as the missing person was known to regularly come to these areas and visit some of the chimneys and ruins. Hasty searches were also made of other routes and tracks.

The Team stood down at 2200 hours. Police enquiries are continuing.

21^st May

09:35

Penwith Moors: St Michaels Way, Search and Rescue Cover.

Members of Cornwall SRT were on stand by during a rescue cover for the St Michaels Way charity walk in West Cornwall.

Although the weather started off quite blustery, this did not deter most walkers who completed routes of either 6 or 12 miles, which included landmarks such as Knills Monument and Trencrom Hill.

This fantastic annual event is organised by the Mounts Bay Rotary Club and they distribute sponsorship money raised from the event to their nominated charities.

Cornwall SRT provides all search, rescue and medical cover on the event and provides assistance points along the route.

19:30

Redruth and Carn Brea Hill, Search, Missing Male.

Police called the Team for an urgent search for a missing despondent male.

A full call out was issued resulting in 16 team members responding along with our incident control vehicle and team four-wheel drive ambulance. A police dog handler and police lost person search manager also responded and co-located at the control point to assist with the search.

Due to the weather conditions, the police helicopter was unable to fly, and CSRT conducted several hasty searches of areas that the missing person may have headed to.

After a long night of searching which was jointly coordinated between Devon and Cornwall Police and Cornwall SRT search managers, the search was stood down pending further information and identification of further search areas.

Devon – Dartmoor, Dartmoor Ten Tors event, Search and Rescue Cover.

Our trainee SARDA handler assisted Dartmoor Rescue Group and other SARDA handlers on Dartmoor in providing search and rescue cover for this annual event.

7^th May

12:50

Bodmin Moor: Bodmin Ten Tors event, Medivacs.

The Team assisted two casualties and evacuated both using our 4wd ambulance.

A stretcher party met the first casualty between Buttern Hill and Leskernick Hill after a report that there was a female feeling lightheaded, unwell and unable to continue there. After some initial TLC, she felt well enough to walk to a track head where she was taken back to St Breward by the team Land Rover.

The second casualty of the day was located on the track leading towards Brown Willy and Rough Tor. She had jumped across a river and landed awkwardly on her ankle. She too was evacuated to St Breward where she was checked over by the Team doctor.

The Team is pleased to support this event, which this year marked its 25^th successful year. We look forward to seeing you all there next year.

10^th April

21:00

Nanstallon, near Bodmin, Search, Missing male.

The Team responded to a report of a missing person last seen at about 1930 hours that evening. A full Team call out was issued, and our new control vehicle in addition to our rescue vehicle were mobilised.

The missing person, in his seventies and suffering from dementia was picked up by a local person and taken to their home, where police then collected him. The Team was then stood down whilst en route.

02:30

Redruth, Search, Missing Male.

Police requested urgent assistance to search for a missing male, believed to have possibly collapsed with a medical condition.

A full Team Call Out was issued and team incident controllers, team members and rescue vehicles were immediately sent to the RV point. Thankfully, just as our first Controller was about to arrive, the police located the male allowing us to all return back to our beds…!

19^th March

09:10

Perranporth, Search, Missing male.

After a very long quiet spell for the Team, CSRT members responded from a training exercise on Bodmin Moor to a report of a missing person in the Perranporth area.

The initial details were that he had taken his dog out for a walk the previous day and not returned home. Team members were on scene very quickly, with two controllers and a team vehicle on scene within 10 minutes. HM Coastguard and a Royal Navy SAR helicopter were tasked to search the local coastline, whilst CSRT and the Police helicopter searched inland areas and the extensive sand dunes. During the search further information suggested that he might be vulnerable due to medical conditions.

Police later made contact with the male – who was picked up by them after he had walked to Hayle along the coastal path, some 18 miles away

5^th January

10:50

West Cornwall & Zennor Moor. Search and Rescue/Medivac, Missing Walker.

Concern was growing for a male who had been missing since the previous day after going out for a walk. CSRT searched inland areas, whilst HM Coastguard SRT’s searched the coastpath, which is where the male was located alive but hypothermic. Evacuated by Rescue helicopter 193 and taken to Treliske Hospital.

1^st January

12:10

Bodmin Moor: Brown Willy Downs, Medical evacuation, Injured runner.

With an early start to the year, the Team members were called to assist an injured runner who was on the moor between Brown Willy and Catshole Tor.