Three shouts in 30 hours for Abersoch RNLI

After a relatively quiet season so far, the eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth call-outs of the year for Abersoch RNLI came within about thirty hours of each other earlier this week.

The first call was at 12.50pm on Monday afternoon (6 August) to a broken down RIB with 5 people on board off Llanbedrog. The inshore lifeboat was on scene within 7 minutes, but as the volunteer crew arrived they saw the casualty being towed towards Pwllheli by a 24 foot power boat that happened to be in the area. After checking that the tow was effective the crew returned to station.

The volunteer lifeboat crew were called out again at 3.40pm after receiving reports of two power boats with engine failure in a calm sea off St Tudwal's Island West. On scene in 4 minutes the volunteer crewmen could see that one of the stricken vessels was being towed back to Borth Fawr, a similar scenario to the previous service.

A line was secured to the other casualty and the inshore lifeboat proceeded to tow the 19 foot craft with its crew of 5 towards Pwllheli. After 20 minutes, at a point about a mile south southwest of Pwllheli, they were met by the power boat Lady Jane of West Coast Marine which took over the towing duties. The crew was back at the station at 4.23pm.

At 7.04pm the following day (Tuesday 7 August) the Abersoch RNLI lifeboat was called to help a yacht, with its lone sailor, in Porth Ceiriad.  The yacht was reported to be taking in water due to damaged engine mounting.

Quickly on scene a volunteer crewman boarded the casualty vessel, assessed the situation and immediately manned its bilge pump. His action made a difference and the 24 foot yacht was able to progress, albeit, very slowly under sail towards Abersoch.

The Deputy Launching Authority back at the station at Abersoch decided to request, through Holyhead Coastguard, the assistance of Pwllheli RNLI's all-weather lifeboat in the rescue operation.

Pwllheli RNLI all-weather lifeboat (ALB) responded and at approximately 8.00pm the RNLI neighbours and casualty met off St. Tudwal's Island East. The Abersoch crew member was transferred back to the inshore lifeboat to be replaced on the stricken yacht by two volunteer crew members from RNLI Pwllheli. A line was attached from the ALB to the casualty and a tow to Pwllheli was initiated.

The Abersoch crew returned to station at 8.20pm


RNLI Media Contacts
For more information contact Twrog Jones RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 01758 740927 or Danielle Rush, Media Relations Manager on 07786 668829 or danielle_rush@rnli.org.uk