RNLI Moelfre Volunteers Accomplish Electrifying Rescue.
At 20:34 on Wednesday, 27th May 2026, the RNLI Moelfre all-weather lifeboat (ALB) was called out by Holyhead Coastguard after several reports of a paddleboarder and her dog trapped at the base of cliffs in Cemaes Bay.
Once underway, they made best speed for Cemaes Bay, where our colleagues from Cemaes Bay Coastguard Search and Rescue were positioned on the cliff top, keeping watch over the casualty and her dog who were suffering from the cold and exposure to the severe electrical storm and torrential rain..
Upon arrival, the volunteer crew prepared the lifeboat’s daughter craft and launched it in tough, hazardous conditions. The ALB is equipped with a small Y boat—an inflatable daughter craft powered by a 15hp outboard engine. This nimble vessel is perfect for rescues near rocky areas and in shallow waters.
It was carefully manoeuvred through rough terrain to reach the woman and her dog, who were cold, scared, and shaken by the experience. The paddleboard was partly deflated, and the dog became anxious in the harsh weather.
They were swiftly rescued, provided with thermal protection, and brought ashore to the waiting coastguard team.
With several lightning strikes hitting just a few hundred meters from the lifeboat, the crew decided to stay in the wheelhouse and remove their audio headsets as a precaution. The storm overhead was also causing heavy interference, making communication difficult.
The shore crew waited for the ALB’s return and a break in the storm to get ready and recover the lifeboat in tough conditions.
Lifeboat coxswain Vince Jones said:
In 25 years of lifeboating, I’ve faced all kinds of weather, but last night was a first. What should have been a straightforward rescue became extremely challenging and dangerous due to a massive electrical thunderstorm over Anglesey and north Wales. The casualty and her dog were struggling, exposed to the storm that rolled in within minutes. Her paddleboard had partially deflated, leaving her trapped at the base of the cliffs. Torrential rain and wind squalls topping 25 knots battered the scene, with a severe weather warning issued just an hour before she got into trouble.
The crew worked with great care in incredibly tough and dangerous conditions, and the shore crew back at the station, exposed and operating on our slipway, did the same. My heartfelt thanks go to each of them.
The ALB was back on slip at 22;23 hours to be made ready for her next call to service.
RNLI Media Contacts
For further information, please contact:
Phil Williams, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI Wales & West, [email protected] 07773979910
Claire Fitzpatrick-Smith, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Wales, West of England and Isle of Man, 07977 728 315, [email protected]
Danielle Rush, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for Wales, West of England and Isle of Man, 07786 668829, [email protected]
RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [email protected]
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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.
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