First callout for Rhyl's new Shannon-class RNLI lifeboat

The request to launch had been received by UK Coastguard at Holyhead to assist police and local coastguard teams search for a person believed to be in the sea. The new Shannon-class lifeboat 'Anthony Kenneth Heard' was launched and was on scene within 11 minutes of launching. This was compared to approximately 20 minutes with the previous Mersey-class lifeboat. Once on scene, the crew used searchlights and white parachute flares to illuminate the area to assist the shore parties. The units searched the area from Towyn to Old Colwyn for nearly three hours until it was reported the person had been found near the beach but on shore. The lifeboat returned to Rhyl once it was stood down by the coastguard.
This was the first launch of Rhyl's new Shannon-class all-weather lifeboat. Coxswain Martin Jones said ' The speed of the new lifeboat proved it's worth tonight in getting on scene much quicker, so enabling all search agencies to provide more effective cover. We are extremely impressed with the new boat, which proved a great asset to the search facilities'.
The attached picture shows the lifeboat's track, courtesy of www.marinetraffic.com

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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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