New Quay RNLI in all night multi agency rescue

On Saturday 30 June at 11.30pm the Mersey class all-weather lifeboat and the D class inshore lifeboat were both launched following reports of a missing person in the Tresaith area. Milford Haven Coastguard advised that the paddle boarder had not been seen for three hours after leaving Aberporth beach and was likely to have gone north to Tresaith.

The New Quay RNLI crews began searching from the north with both Cardigan RNLI lifeboats searching from the south and New Quay inshore lifeboat soon located the paddleboard and the casualty’s possessions on Traeth Bach beach, just south of Llangrannog. Crew members spoke to members of the public camping on the beach who had seen the missing person only a few hours earlier and were able to direct crew members to his last known location.

With the search now concentrated on the area around Traeth Bach, the casualty was located on top of a small, rocky island by Coastguard helicopter Rescue 187 from St Athan.

Brett Stones, helm of New Quay inshore lifeboat and crew member Dan Montgomery climbed to the top of the mound to assess the casualty and commence casualty care while the helicopter refuelled,

“It was now very dark and we could not see anything. It was quite dangerous work climbing up but with guidance from local resident Pob Thomas, and with the help of the all-weather lifeboat’s search lights and parachute flares, we soon found the casualty.

“We worked with the Coastguard helicopter and the casualty was airlifted to Morriston hospital. Two police officers and two members of the public had also climbed up and we realised that it would not be safe to climb down in darkness.

“The rescue helicopter then returned and transferred us two-by-two to nearby Penbryn beach where we were picked up by the lifeboat. We finally returned to the station by 6am.”

Dan Potter, Coxswain of New Quay RNLI Mersey class all-weather lifeboat added,

“I’d like to thank everyone involved, the crew, our colleagues from Cardigan, the Coastguard and the Police. It was a successful rescue and a long night. Many of the crew had to go to work that morning so it was a very long day.”

For more information please contact Kate Williams, [email protected].

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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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