Port Talbot RNLI lifeboat tasked twice in a day

The lifeboat was on exercise when the first call came in at 12pm when a 20 foot motorboat from the River Afan had broken down close to Nash Point.

As the area was quite close to Porthcawl, Porthcawl RNLI lifeboat crew volunteers were tasked with towing the boat to Port Talbot and handing the tow over to the Port Talbot RNLI lifeboat. Once a tow was established by the Port Talbot volunteers at the mouth of the river, the boat was towed to the slipway for recovery. Both lifeboats were then stood down.

The second call came at 7pm, when Port Talbot lifeboat was tasked, together with both lifeboats from The Mumbles, after UK Coastguard received a mayday call from a vessel in the Swansea Bay area.

Despite a full search of the whole area, including the rivers, nothing was found. The Coastguard believe it was a false alarm. All lifeboats were then stood down and returned to station.

Port Talbot lifeboat arrived back on station at 8.15pm and was then made ready for sea.

Media contacts:

For more information please contact Mel Cooper, Port Talbot RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer, on 07814 985057 or Chris Cousens, RNLI Press Officer, Wales and West, on 07748 265496 or 01745 585162 or by email on chris_cousens@rnli.org.uk

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The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is the charity that saves lives at sea. Our volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service in the United Kingdom and Ireland from 238 lifeboat stations, including four along the River Thames and inland lifeboat stations at Loch Ness, Lough Derg, Enniskillen, Carrybridge and Lough Ree. Additionally the RNLI has more than 1,000 lifeguards on over 240 beaches around the UK and operates a specialist flood rescue team, which can respond anywhere across the UK and Ireland when inland flooding puts lives at risk.

The RNLI relies on public donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. As a charity it is separate from, but works alongside, government-controlled and funded coastguard services. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824 our lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved at least 140,000 lives. Volunteers make up 95% of the charity, including 4,600 volunteer lifeboat crew members and 3,000 volunteer shore crew. Additionally, tens of thousands of other dedicated volunteers raise funds and awareness, give safety advice, and help in our museums, shops and offices.

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The RNLI is a charity registered in England and Wales (209603) and Scotland (SC037736). Charity number 20003326 in the Republic of Ireland