2025 Callouts
17th October
At 1am, we were called by Devon and Cornwall Police to assist with searching for a high risk missing person with mental health and addiction issues in Central Park, Plymouth.
While the Police Air Service helicopter also searched, we were deployed to search several areas from the Home Park football ground to the Railway Station and other areas.
At around 4am, the gentleman was located at a residential address close to the park.
8th October
At 2100 hrs, we were called out to the Efford area of Plymouth to assist Devon & Cornwall Police to search for a high risk missing person.
Numerous search teams were allocated various search areas such as the Cemetery and local woodland, whilst our Drone Team were able deploy quickly and search much larger areas for the missing person.
Happily, the male was later located in another area of Plymouth and we were stood down at 23:30 hrs.
25th August
The team was called to Holming Beam to assist one of our sister teams, DSRT Tavistock who had been searching for a missing walker known to have left the Two Bridges area the previous night. to rendezvous with some friends who were already out on the moors.
HM Coastguard were also in attendance, flying over Beardown Tor/Rough Tor areas.
As we prepared to search, the gentleman was located by a member of the public. He had lost his phone and had gotten caught out by adverse weather, so had decided to stay put instead of trying to locate his friends. Our team doctor checked him over and thankfully, aside from being cold and tired, he was able to continue without incident.
2nd August
In the afternoon we were called out to the Dewerstone Rock by the Southwest Ambulance Service, following reports that a climber had fallen badly, and had a head injury and lacerations.
The team deployed with a wheeled stretcher and full rope rescue kit, and gave first aid to the casualty on arrival. Fortunately the casualty was able to walk off the Moors and was escorted to a waiting ambulance.
15th July
Early morning, Devon & Cornwall Police requested our assistance in the Woolwell area of Plymouth, to search for a missing person with post-natal depression. We were joined by our colleagues from Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team - Tavistock.
Thankfully, the lady was quickly located by members of the public a while later.
3rd July
We were called to Cadover Bridge to assist the Police in locating a tired and disoriented walker from Cadover Woods. Shortly after arriving on scene, the gentleman was located by the Police and we stood down shortly after.
18th June
Our second callout in 2 days took us down to the Fowey area of Cornwall, to assist one of our sister teams, East Cornwall Search & Rescue Team in locating a high-risk missing person, last seen in the evening of the 16th.
Our drone team was perfectly placed to assist, with our drone equipped with a thermal camera scouring the cliff edges and fields around the headland.
Another positive result as the missing gentleman was located on the coast path a few hours later, following which he was airlifted from the scene by a HM Coastguard helicopter.
17th June
Late on Monday 16th, our sister team, Dartmoor Search and Rescue, Ashburton had been called out to assist with locating a vulnerable adult male in the South Brent area. Despite their overnight searches, they were stood down in the early hours of the 17th while further enquiries were made and new leads followed up.
In the morning of the 17th, we were called to help with searching a new area of the Moor, near to Bloody Pool. Thankfully, soon after deploying, we found the missing person and provided first aid and support until the Ambulance was able to attend, courtesy of Devon & Cornwall 4x4 Response who were on hand to ferry them from the road up to our position.
We wish the young man in question all the best for his future.
7th June
The ten were called at 11am to attend West Alvington, near Kingsbridge to assist the Police locate a high-risk missing person. However, soon after arriving at the RV point, and about to be deployed, the team were stood down as the gentleman had been located safe and well.
10th May
At 1730 hrs the team was called out to the Dewerstone.
A climber was ascending the window slit route in the western rocks area of the Dewerstone when his foot and knee became wedged and he was unable to free himself. Fortunately he was climbing with a partner who raised the alarm.
The response from the team was even quicker than normal because we were at Princetown setting up for Ten Tors.
The Rope Team was able to swing into action and free the climber who was unharmed and able to walk himself off the hill.
11th Feb
At 10:06 the team received a call from the Police asking for support to continue a search for a missing person with severe dementia, around the Calstock area. This search was ongoing from the early hours of the morning with Tavistock and East Cornwall.
Shortly after members of the team deployed, a body was located in the river, and the team were stood down shortly after this sad news.
5th Feb
At 23:45 on Tuesday night, we were alerted to an ongoing search in North Devon, home of one of our sister teams - North Dartmoor Search and Rescue.
This was a large search for a missing female around the village of Ashreigney. Both North Dartmoor and Exmoor teams had spent the day searching areas around the village, and another of our sister teams, Tavistock SRT were due to search through the night.
We were were requested, along with Ashburton SRT to continue the search the following morning.
Arriving at 0600, our team set off to search open fields around the the village with no joy.
After 5 hours searching, and just as search dogs arrived from MRSDE, a member of the public came into the incident room to stay the she had been found.
Ashburton's team doctor, along with Police were dispatched to the location to assess her condition. Aside from being a bit cold, she was fine. She was then handed over to SWAST for further assessment.
A positive outcome a long way off our usual beaten track!
1st January
A 60yr old male had gone for morning walk on the moor near Shell Top, but as the heavy rain and mist came in, he realised he was lost. Rather than try and attempt to find his way, he made the right decision to call for help.
Devon & Cornwall Police sent a message to the missing person to identify his location. We then sent teams to him to bring him off the hill, who walked down with him to a waiting team Land Rover.
Other than being cold and wet, thankfully he was fine.
