Five shouts in six days for Angle RNLI
Angle RNLI volunteers have been busy with multiple shouts across consecutive days.
At 12.17pm on Thursday 26 September, the lifeboat was requested to launch following a 999 call reporting a dog over the cliff at West Angle Beach, opposite Thorn Island.
The lifeboat launched and made the short journey to West Angle, where they soon located the dog at the base of the cliff, distressed but safe and well. The lifeboats inflatable Y-boat was deployed and a crew member soon put ashore to recover the dog. The Y-boat crew transferred the dog onto the all-weather lifeboat (ALB) and proceeded round to East Angle Bay to drop the dog ashore.
Once at East Angle, the Y-boat was redeployed and landed the dog safely ashore into the care of Coastguard Rescue Officers from St Govan’s and Tenby, and the dog’s owners. With no further assistance required, the lifeboat was stood down and was back alongside her berth and readied for further service by 2.30pm.
The following day on Friday the 27 September at 2.39pm, the lifeboat was requested to launch again following multiple 999 calls reporting a surfer in difficulty at Freshwater West Beach. However, as the crew were mustering the surfer self-recovered to shore so the launch was subsequently cancelled. St Govan’s Coastguard Rescue Team were also tasked to assist.
A day later on Saturday at 3.48pm, the crew were paged once again to go to the assistance of a 37ft yacht in difficulty in Jack Sound, following a fuel related issue. The lifeboat launched and located the yacht just off Gateholm Island. A tow was swiftly passed and the yacht taken to Milford Docks. Once off the lock entrance, the yacht had sufficient power to put themselves alongside in the lock pits under the escort of the lifeboat. Content that no further assistance was required, the lifeboat stood down and was back alongside the jetty and ready for service once again at 6.15pm.
The following afternoon at 12.48pm on Sunday (29 September), the crew were tasked to assist a 25ft power vessel suffering machinery failure and adverse weather conditions off the South Hook LNG Terminal. The Milford Haven Harbour Patrol vessel and Port Authority pilot vessel Skomer - were both in attendance but due to the weather conditions and proximity to the terminal, the lifeboat was requested to assist.
Launching in force 8 easterly winds averaging 45kts, the lifeboat was soon on scene. The Harbour Patrol had the vessel in tow but was making little headway with the conditions. The lifeboat soon passed a tow to the casualty vessel and with options of a safe haven limited due to weather, a course was set for Hobbs Point to seek shelter.
After a tow of around an hour, the vessel was left safely alongside the pontoon at Hobbs Point. With no further assistance required, the lifeboat was stood down and was back alongside the jetty and ready for further service at 4pm.
Finally this morning at 8.05am on 1 October, the lifeboat was requested to launch to conduct a medical evacuation from a warship just off St Ann’s Head. The casualty was transferred to hospital. The lifeboat launched and located the vessel off the entrance to the port, and soon set about coming alongside the vessel and conducting an underway transfer. The casualty and her colleague were boarded via a pilot ladder, made comfortable and transported back to the Port Authority Jetty, where an ambulance was waiting to take her to hospital.
With the casualty in the care of paramedics, the crew were stood down and the lifeboat was ready for service once again by 10am.
A huge thank you to the crew and commanding officer of the HMS Somerset for their gift of a ships crest in thanks for our assistance.
RNLI Media Contacts
For more information, please contact Davey Barrett, Lifeboat Press Officer on [email protected] or 07972 937299.
Alternatively you can contact RNLI Regional Communications Manager, Claire Fitzpatrick-Smith, on [email protected] / 07977 728 315. For out of hours enquiries please contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336 789.
The lifeboat launched and made the short journey to West Angle, where they soon located the dog at the base of the cliff, distressed but safe and well. The lifeboats inflatable Y-boat was deployed and a crew member soon put ashore to recover the dog. The Y-boat crew transferred the dog onto the all-weather lifeboat (ALB) and proceeded round to East Angle Bay to drop the dog ashore.
Once at East Angle, the Y-boat was redeployed and landed the dog safely ashore into the care of Coastguard Rescue Officers from St Govan’s and Tenby, and the dog’s owners. With no further assistance required, the lifeboat was stood down and was back alongside her berth and readied for further service by 2.30pm.
The following day on Friday the 27 September at 2.39pm, the lifeboat was requested to launch again following multiple 999 calls reporting a surfer in difficulty at Freshwater West Beach. However, as the crew were mustering the surfer self-recovered to shore so the launch was subsequently cancelled. St Govan’s Coastguard Rescue Team were also tasked to assist.
A day later on Saturday at 3.48pm, the crew were paged once again to go to the assistance of a 37ft yacht in difficulty in Jack Sound, following a fuel related issue. The lifeboat launched and located the yacht just off Gateholm Island. A tow was swiftly passed and the yacht taken to Milford Docks. Once off the lock entrance, the yacht had sufficient power to put themselves alongside in the lock pits under the escort of the lifeboat. Content that no further assistance was required, the lifeboat stood down and was back alongside the jetty and ready for service once again at 6.15pm.
The following afternoon at 12.48pm on Sunday (29 September), the crew were tasked to assist a 25ft power vessel suffering machinery failure and adverse weather conditions off the South Hook LNG Terminal. The Milford Haven Harbour Patrol vessel and Port Authority pilot vessel Skomer - were both in attendance but due to the weather conditions and proximity to the terminal, the lifeboat was requested to assist.
Launching in force 8 easterly winds averaging 45kts, the lifeboat was soon on scene. The Harbour Patrol had the vessel in tow but was making little headway with the conditions. The lifeboat soon passed a tow to the casualty vessel and with options of a safe haven limited due to weather, a course was set for Hobbs Point to seek shelter.
After a tow of around an hour, the vessel was left safely alongside the pontoon at Hobbs Point. With no further assistance required, the lifeboat was stood down and was back alongside the jetty and ready for further service at 4pm.
Finally this morning at 8.05am on 1 October, the lifeboat was requested to launch to conduct a medical evacuation from a warship just off St Ann’s Head. The casualty was transferred to hospital. The lifeboat launched and located the vessel off the entrance to the port, and soon set about coming alongside the vessel and conducting an underway transfer. The casualty and her colleague were boarded via a pilot ladder, made comfortable and transported back to the Port Authority Jetty, where an ambulance was waiting to take her to hospital.
With the casualty in the care of paramedics, the crew were stood down and the lifeboat was ready for service once again by 10am.
A huge thank you to the crew and commanding officer of the HMS Somerset for their gift of a ships crest in thanks for our assistance.
RNLI Media Contacts
For more information, please contact Davey Barrett, Lifeboat Press Officer on [email protected] or 07972 937299.
Alternatively you can contact RNLI Regional Communications Manager, Claire Fitzpatrick-Smith, on [email protected] / 07977 728 315. For out of hours enquiries please contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336 789.
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,700 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.