Horton, Mumbles and Port Talbot lifeboats launch to fishing boat in distress

The sunny weather has brought about a multi-vessel rescue for the Volunteers of The Horton, Mumbles and Port Talbot Lifeboat stations on Easter Sunday.

At 1220 the Horton Lifeboat volunteers were diverted by HM Coastguard Milford Haven from exercise to attend to a broken down fishing boat with 2 people on board.

The boat was then taken in tow by The Mumbles All Weather lifeboat to the mouth of the river Afan. Port Talbot lifeboat took over the tow to ensure the boat was taken to the safety of the river.

Tim Conway, Lifeboat operations manager at The Mumbles said, ‘ This has been a challenging weekend for the RNLI. The onset of unusually warm weather has meant that many people are taking to the water for the first time this year. We would always advise anyone taking to the water to ensure they have a way of calling for help, carry basic safety equipment like life jackets and even if you’re not taking to the water but hitting the beach to check tide times and local conditions and rip currents.

Key facts about the RNLI

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.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.