FOUR men had a lucky escape after their converted fishing vessel smashed onto rocks near Padstow.
The wreckage was strewn over beaches across the area, with most concentrated on the sands at Daymer Bay.
It was also carrying 900 litres of diesel and Padstow Harbour authorities worked with Falmouth coastguard to help contain the fuel spill.
Skipper Rob Bygott said: "A lifeboat turned up in about 15 minutes, and it's lucky they did because my boat and the wheelhouse broke in half.
"The wheelhouse was attached to the main mast. If that had gone we would probably have gone with it."
Mr Bygott said the lifeboat crew had "certainly" saved their lives, rowing over the rocks to pluck them to safety.
Michael England, RNLI mechanic at Padstow, said the crew were on the way to the port to take part in the annual May Day celebrations (today).
He said: "This was a very speedy rescue as the four men were in immediate danger with the boat literally breaking up under their feet.
"Fortunately, thanks to Alan's [RNLI coxswain Alan Tarby] skilful boat-handling in very shallow water we were able to get them off the boat and ashore in minutes.
"They're regular visitors to Padstow, usually appearing for our annual May Day celebrations, and it's very sad to see their boat in such a situation."
They had left from Bristol but experienced worsening weather conditions.
Falmouth Coastguard received a call at around 3.52am on Monday after their vessel – Courageous II – had beached on the Doom Bar sand bank.
"They were beached on the sand and they thought they would be OK," a coastguard spokesman explained.
"When they came off the sand they couldn't control the vessel and went onto the rocks."
He said they hit the rocks just after 4.45am. The boat broke up quickly, he added.
An RNLI spokesman said the crew were in "immediate danger".
"Arriving on scene in just 12 minutes, volunteer RNLI coxswain Alan Tarby skilfully brought the Tamar class all-weather lifeboat Spirit Of Padstow alongside the stricken vessel in very shallow waters.
"The four men assembled on the aft deck of the converted fishing vessel and transferred to the lifeboat.
"The RNLI team then headed straight back to the lifeboat station so the survivors could be checked over by paramedics."
The call came just four and a half hours after the Padstow RNLI team had returned from assisting two people onboard a small yacht that lost its rudder two miles north of Boscastle. The volunteer crew had towed the boat to safety, arriving back at their Trevose Head boathouse at 12.30am on Monday.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has been informed.
