Port Talbot RNLI lifeboat tasked to two incidents
Port Talbot RNLI lifeboat was called out twice in an hour last evening (Tuesday 18 October).
The volunteer lifeboat crew were first tasked at 7.25pm to a dog walker cut off by the tide.
The lifeboat was launched at 7.25pm off the slipway into a very rough sea with the tide at high level and a very strong wind blowing.
The dog walker in question had been cut off by the high tide in the Jersey Marine area of the River Neath and had contacted UK Coastguard by mobile phone. The woman was first located by the Coastguard Search and Rescue Helicopter and airlifted to safety, where she was met by the local coastguard team. The lifeboat then returned to the Monkstone Marina for recovery, due to the bad sea conditions at the lifeboat station.
Before the lifeboat could be recovered, they were again tasked at 8.20pm by UK Coastguard to assist a small commercial hovercraft that had engine failure in the vicinity of the River Neath. When located the lifeboat found the vessel aground on the river bank, with two people on board,who were awaiting an engineer to rectify the problem.
Both the lifeboat and the crew on board the casualty vessel were satisfied that no further assiatance was required and the lifeboat was stood down and returned to station.
Notes to editors:
The attached picture shows Porthcawl RNLI's inshore lifeboat. Credit RNLI
For more information contact Mel Cooper, Port Talbot Lifeboat Press Officer on 07814 985057.
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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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