A busy weekend for Burry Port RNLI volunteers
Burry Port RNLI's volunteer lifeboat crew had a busy bank holiday weekend with a series of launches.
Shortly after 1pm yesterday (Monday 31 May) crew members were paged by Milford Haven Coastguard to assist a broken down vessel in the vicinity of Burry Holmes on the North Gower peninsula, already under tow but making little headway.
Burry Port RNLI's Atlantic 75 class lifeboat Leicester Challenge II was immediately launched, crewed by Helm Darren Sheppard and assisted by fellow crew Lee Fox and Rhydian Bowen, and located the motor launch with 10 passengers on board.
The vessel was put under tow and safely returned to moorings at Burry Port Harbour. All passengers were safe and well and relieved.
In the meantime at 2pm another small fishing boat was spotted close to Burry Port Harbour in some difficulties and the station's D-Class inshore lifeboat Diane Hilary was launched, crewed by Nick Jones at Helm and supported by Andrew Pullman a Mal O'Connell. Again the casualty vessel was put on tow and escorted back to the safety of the harbour, with all three passengers safe and well.
Both of the station's lifeboats returned to the harbour with their towed vessels almost simultaneously, so a successful ending to a very busy bank holiday Monday.
Before this it was a busy weekend for the station, as on Sunday (29 May) a training exercise with Helicopter 187 from HM Coastguard based at St Athan, immediately after a call to persons cut off by the tide at Llanelli Beach and another boat breakdown, which was successfully towed in on the return journey.
Roger Bowen, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Burry Port RNLI, said: 'It was an exceptionally busy weekend for our crew and thankfullly all launches resulted in successful outcomes for those who needed assistance. Our lifeboats are crewed entirely by volunteers who give up their own time to save lives at sea. They really showed their dedication this weekend.'
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.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
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.