Four RNLI lifeboats respond to mayday call in Cardigan Bay

The mayday call was very weak and as the location of the vessel was unclear so Abersoch, Barmouth, New Quay and Aberystwyth RNLI volunteers were all launched over the course of the night to respond to the mayday call.

HM Coastguard received a mayday call on the evening of Sunday 8 September from a 30-foot yacht suffering from mechanical failure in Cardigan Bay but communications were lost with the vessel before a location was provided. Abersoch Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat and Barmouth all-weather lifeboat were both tasked at 11:10pm to search an area south of Enlli (Bardsey Island) for the vessel. New Quay RNLI volunteers were also requested to prepare the all-weather lifeboat in case the search area was extended.

As the search took place a fishing trawler located the yacht 30 miles off Cardigan Bay and was able to provide clearer information to the Coastguard. New Quay all-weather lifeboat launched at 12:35am and Barmouth and Abersoch lifeboats were both stood down.

New Quay RNLI volunteers arrived on scene and established a tow. As New Quay all-weather lifeboat made their way back to the coast, Aberystwyth RNLI volunteers were paged at 8:30am and were requested to take over the tow – over nine hours after the service call first began.

Aberystwyth Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat launched at 8:45am and took over the tow from New Quay all-weather lifeboat. The yacht was safely towed into Aberystwyth Marina.

New Quay RNLI volunteers were finally able to return to station and recovered the lifeboat at 10:30am – ten hours after the all-weather lifeboat was first paged.

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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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