RNLI Angle’s all-weather lifeboat has faced its busiest period of the year so far, with three launch requests in four days – two to the aid of crippled yachts and the third to a drifting dory.
The first launch request from HM Coastguard came at 9.39am on Wednesday (20 June) when the station’s Tamar class lifeboat Mark Mason went to the aid of a yacht which had lost her rudder south-west of Skokholm Island, off the Pembrokeshire coast.
Despite the best efforts of the yacht’s crew of two, who had jury-rigged a makeshift rudder, they were unable to steer the vessel effectively.
A tow was rigged to the yacht and, at a reduced speed of 4.5 knots, the lifeboat brought the vessel to Neyland Marina for repairs.
The marina was reached at 2.35pm and the lifeboat returned to her station, where she was rehoused at 3pm after over five hours at sea.
The second call-out came at 9.26pm on Friday, following a report that a dory was drifting on to rocks at Newton Noyes, east of the town of Milford Haven. As the lifeboat was launching, however, it was reported that the casualty vessel, with two persons on board, had made it safely ashore at Black Pill, with the assistance of a Milford Haven Port Authority pilot vessel. The lifeboat was then stood down.
The following day (Saturday 23 June), the all-weather lifeboat, under the command of Second Coxswain Danny Richards, was launched at 2.30pm to assist an 8.5 metre yacht which had lost her rudder 1.1 miles south-west of Sheep Island, at the entrance of the East Channel to the Milford Haven Waterway.
The port patrol RIB Water Ranger had passed the yacht a line, but was only able to hold the casualty’s head to the sea, in a swell of over 2 metres. The lifeboat’s volunteer crew secured a tow to the yacht, which was taken to the lock pits at Milford Marina. The lifeboat returned to her station to be rehoused at 4.30pm.
Earlier in the week, Angle lifeboat station welcomed four volunteer crew members from RNLI Porthdinllaen for training on the Tamar class lifeboat, in preparation for the arrival of their new Tamar in August.
The four, led by Coxswain Mike Davies, spent the Monday (18 June) familiarising themselves with the Tamar and launch/recovery procedures, before carrying out an extended afloat exercise with the Angle crew on the Tuesday.
The Porthdinllaen crew will now undertake intensive training at RNLI headquarters at Poole, before taking the new Tamar home to replace their Tyne class lifeboat, Hetty Rampton.
Note to editors
Attached is a file picture of Angle RNLI's Tamar class lifeboat Mark Mason.
Photo: RNLI Angle.
RNLI media contacts
For more information please telephone Ted Goddard, RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, Angle, on 01437 763675 or Danielle Rush, Media Relations Manager (Wales & the West) on 07786668829 or 01745585162 or by email: danielle_rush@rnli.org.uk or RNLI Public Relations on 01202336789