Aberdyfi RNLI Lifeboat assists broken down yacht
Aberdyfi lifeboat crew were paged yesterday (Monday) evening to go to the assistance of a vessel reported in difficulties just outside the estuary.
The call came in just after 9:00 pm from the Coastguard requesting Aberdyfi Lifeboat’s assistance and the RNLI’s Atlantic 85 was launched with her crew of two adults and one child shortly afterwards, heading quickly towards the stricken yacht. With light fading fast, an ebbing tide and the water level on the bar dropping, it was creating a potentially difficult situation for the volunteer lifeboat crew.
They arrived on scene a few minutes later, having been assisted in finding the boat thanks to a hand-held red flare that the skipper had lit to help the lifeboat locate them.
The crew checked that all four of the yacht’s crew were ok, then quickly set up a tow to bring the yacht back into the harbour. The return journey was slow and carefully navigated due to the low water but the yacht was made safe on a visitors’ mooring shortly before 11:00 pm.
Ian Jewell, the lifeboat helmsman, said: “Night rescues obviously have a few additional considerations attached to them, but we have a very well-equipped lifeboat here and well-trained crew. It also makes our job easier and those we are helping safer, if, as in this case, they have the correct safety equipment, such as flares.”
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For more information please telephone Dave Bowen, Aberdyfi RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 01654 767352 or 07703 317771 or [email protected] or Danielle Rush, RNLI Media Relations Manager in Wales on 01745 585162 or 07786 668829 or [email protected] or contact RNLI Public Relations on 01202 336789
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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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