Tenby all weather lifeboat launched after wave capsizes rib off Caldey Island
Tenby’s relief RNLI all-weather lifeboat was requested to launch shortly after midday on Thursday 10th May following a report that a large wave had capsized a rib off Sandtop Bay on the south-west side of Caldey Island. It was unknown if the occupants were still in the water.
Whilst the lifeboat was making best speed towards the island, news came through from the Coastguard that the three occupants of the rib had made it ashore and were cold but otherwise safe and well.
As the volunteer crew arrived at Sandtop, they could see the upturned vessel inside the surfline, near the beach. Due to the large swell running into the beach, it was too dangerous to attempt to retrieve the boat.
A short time later, the rib washed ashore on Sandtop where the occupants and some of their colleagues that had arrived on Caldey to help, were waiting to pull it out of the water. Their plan was to tow it off and back to Lydstep later in the day once the swell subsided.
With the vessel ashore and nobody in danger, the lifeboat was released to return to station, arriving at 2.25pm.
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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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