A family including a baby and three other children were rescued after their father deliberately ran their boat on to rocks as it took in seawater and began to sink. Teenagers taking part in a coasteering expedition helped guide the stricken 7-metre (24ft) vessel on to the rocks in Devon. The family of six managed to scramble on to shore moments before the boat was lost. The RNLI and the coastguard were called and lifeboat crews plucked the family off the rocks and into the safety of their boats. A photo captured the moment the baby was gently handed from one lifeboat crew member on the rocks to a second in a boat. The family members were transferred from the rocks to an RNLI inshore vessel and ferried to a larger all-weather lifeboat. In a video issued by the RNLI, a child could be heard crying and the father calling out “Daddy’s coming”. The family of six were enjoying a sunny early autumn day boating close to Torquay on Tuesday when the vessel started to take on water. Unable to get back to a harbour, the father steered the vessel towards rocks close to a feature known as Natural Arch or London Bridge. Mark Criddle, a coxswain with RNLI Torbay, said: “This man did absolutely the right thing in running their boat on to the rocks where they all managed to scramble to safety. “We launched both RNLI Torbay lifeboats to the scene because their position was unsure and we knew we had to find them quickly. When we arrived, our volunteers ferried the young children one by one to the safety of our all-weather lifeboat, followed by the adults. “The family were distressed but otherwise unharmed, although their vessel could not be saved. This could easily have been a very different and sad ending and I have no doubt that this man’s quick thinking saved his family’s life.” Olivia George was among a party that helped guide the sinking boat to a safe spot before the lifeboat arrived. She said: “Myself and five other people were coasteering with two instructors. We guided the man into the rocks and managed to get the children and parents off the boat on to the rocks before it sank. “We called the coastguard. We then also were on the rocks one bay around to help guide the lifeboat to the incident. In the end was a pretty intense experience for us all.” Two boats from the Torbay Harbour Authority went to the scene to recover debris and disperse spilt fuel. A light diesel slick was reported to have spread from the vessel. The boat, believed to be a former commercial fishing boat, was due to be recovered by a contractor called in by the harbour authority. Torbay lifeboat station has been operating since 1866 and is one of England’s busier lifeboat stations, with an average of more than 100 shouts a year. RNLI Torbay operates a Severn-class all-weather lifeboat and a smaller D-class inshore lifeboat.