Major search launched during Aberystwyth town carnival for missing swimmer

A member of the public had informed the RNLI Lifeguards that they thought a swimmer was in difficulty. The lifeguards immediately located the swimmer who appeared to be in difficulty past the beach, towards the cliffs at Constitution Hill. The ifeguards immediately informed the UK Coastguard, but shortly lost sight of the casualty.

The Aberystwyth Atlantic 85 ‘Spirit of Friendship’ had already launched as part of its Open Day and was getting ready to take part in a rescue demonstration with the Coastguard Search and Rescue helicopter based at Caernarfon when they were immediately sent to the scene. The lifeboat did a quick search of the reported area and put a crew member ashore to check behind the rocks. The helicopter also joined the search of the area. With no one found a full scale search of the area was started.

The Arancia lifeboat with some crew and station volunteers were taking part in the towns Carnival and was also requested, with the help of some local police, the Arancia quickly left the carnival and was on its way to join the search.

A Mayday relay was put out by the UK Coastguard asking for any vessels in the area to keep an eye out and the All Weather lifeboat from New Quay ‘Frank And Lena Clifford Of Stourbridge’ was also tasked to assist in the search, along with Borth and Aberystwyth local coastguard rescue teams.

The search took 3 hours, close in to shore in full view of the crowds who had gathered for the town carnival celebrations. After an exhaustive and extensive saturation of the area, and with nothing found the search was stood down and all search teams returned to their respective stations.

RNLI media contacts

For more information please contact Paul McCann 07787785614 or Danielle Rush, Divisional Media Relations Manager (Wales and West) on 07786 668829 or 01745 585162. Alternatively contact RNLI Public Relations on 01202 336789.