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RNLI Penarth assist in multi-agency search

Lifeboats News Release

An early start today (Monday 22 August) for volunteer RNLI crews who were paged just after 7am to help with a multi-agency search for a missing person.

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Penarth RNLI's D-class lifeboat attended and conducted a search of part of the River Ely in Cardiff. 

The crews were stood down at  9am, with nothing being sighted.  A number of agencies were involved including our colleagues at Penarth Coastguard, South Wales Fire and Rescue service, South Wales Police and the Welsh Ambulance Service. 

The crew members then returned to station, prepared the lifeboat for its next shout and, for many, returned to start the working week at their varied day jobs.

The search call came less than 12 hours after Penarth RNLI lifeboat crews were paged just after 8.10pm on Sunday evening (21 August) to reports from a passing vessel of someone on Sully Island who appeared to be in distress and was waving.
 
The D-class lifeboat was launched to investigate.  It was confirmed that although the person was cut off by the tide, they were in fact camping on Sully Island and were not in distress, but had waved at the vessel in response to seeing their lights.  
 
This was a false alarm with good intent.  The camper was keen to stay on the island for a few more nights and was given safety advice.  This was the first  shout for one of our newly qualified volunteer Helms Hugh Kelsall.  Search and Rescue colleagues from HM Coastguard Penarth also attended. 
 

Media contacts:

For further information please contact Andy Berry, Penarth RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer, on 07951 051128 or Chris Cousens, RNLI Press Officer, Wales and West, on 07748 265496 or 01745 585162 or by email on [email protected]

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity 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 146,000 lives.

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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.

About the author

andy_berry
Lifeboat Press Officer (Penarth), Penarth

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