Donate now

Six more shouts for Angle RNLI

Lifeboats News Release

Six more shouts for Angle RNLI

Six more shouts for Angle RNLI

This morning at 9:33am the All-Weather Lifeboat was tasked to locate and assist four kayakers in difficulty between Chapel Bay and Thorn Island.

The Lifeboat launched and began making best speed to the area. Also responding to the call were multiple small pleasure vessels and the Port Authority Pilot Vessel ‘Skomer’.

Once on scene, the crew discovered that one of the casualties had made it safely round to West Angle Beach, two had been recovered by a fishing vessel and the fourth casualty had climbed the cliff in an attempt to get to safety and was now stuck 30 metres up on a small island. The two casualties were taken onboard from the fishing vessel, and after assessing the location of the last casualty the crew subsequently requested air support from the Coastguard.

Whilst awaiting the arrival of the helicopter, the crew deployed the Lifeboat’s inflatable Y boat to recover the casualties kayak and belongings which were in the water close inshore. Once recovered, the Y boat was brought back onboard the Lifeboat and the crew stood by, keeping eyes on the casualty on the cliff.

Shortly after, Coastguard Rescue Helicopter R187 from St Athan arrived and swiftly winched the casualty from the cliff top. The helicopter proceeded round to West Angle and landed in a nearby field to hand the casualty over to members of St Govan’s and Tenby Coastguard Rescue Teams. The Lifeboat then headed round to East Angle Bay and once again utilised the Y boat to transfer the other two casualties and their kayaks ashore into the care of their family and members of the Coastguard Teams. With no further assistance required, the Lifeboat returned to the jetty and was ready for further service by 12:30pm.

Two days before, at 3:54pm the crew were paged to assist in the search for a female threatening self harm at Kilroom Beach, near South Hook Point. The Port Authority Patrol Vessel ‘Dynevor’ had also been tasked and quickly located the female on the rocks at the waters edge.

The Lifeboat swiftly arrived on scene and found the casualty was now with a police officer on the beach. However, with access off the beach difficult it was decided to extract both persons from the beach using the Lifeboat’s Y boat. The crew soon deployed the Y boat and landed ashore on Kilroom. Following a brief discussion with the police, both persons were taken onboard the Y boat and taken out to the lifeboat.

The crew then transferred both persons back to the Port Authority Jetty where the casualty was safely handed over to the police for onward care. The Lifeboat was back alongside once again by 17:30.

On Sunday the 18th of August at 7:56pm the crew were paged to assist in the search for a despondent male threatening to enter the water at Milford Docks. However, as the crew were mustering the launch was subsequently cancelled as the casualty was safely located by the police. Dale and Broad Haven Coastguard Rescue Teams were also tasked.

The day before, on Saturday the 17th of August the crew were requested to launch twice.

At 1:18pm the crew were tasked to assist a 9 meter charter angling vessel, with 7 persons onboard suffering machinery issues off the Dakotian Buoy. The Milford Haven Harbour Patrol vessel was standing by awaiting the lifeboats arrival on scene.

Once on scene, a tow was swiftly passed and the vessel taken to the Mackerel Stage at Milford. Once alongside and with all persons onboard safe and well the lifeboat was stood down to return to station. The lifeboat was back alongside the jetty and ready for further service by 3pm.

Earlier in the day, at 8:44am the crew were paged to assist a 9 meter yacht suffering engine failure approximately 2.5nm south of St Ann’s Head. The lifeboat launched and located the yacht making very little headway under sail. A tow was swiftly passed to the vessel and following a tow of around an hour the vessel was soon alongside in the lock pits at Milford Docks safe and well. The lifeboat made the short journey back to the jetty and was closed down by 11am.

On Wednesday the 14th of August at 6pm, as the crew were just preparing to launch on exercise they were paged by the Coastguard to conduct a search following a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) activation. With a large area to search due to a large error radius, the crew were tasked to search from Castle Pill to Lawrenny. Tenby Lifeboat, already afloat on a previous tasking soon joined the search and began searching from Manorbier to Linney Head. Coastguard Rescue Helicopter R187 from St Athan had also been tasked.

After completing their initial search up to Lawrenny, the crew were given new search instructions to proceed to St Ann’s Head and search east to Linney Head. Shortly after, the helicopter located the upturned hull of a vessel off Linney Head, and shortly after then located three persons in the water nearby. Both boats were requested to make best speed to the area immediately.

Tenby Lifeboat were soon alongside the persons and recovered all three onboard. One casualty soon became severely ill and required immediate evacuation. The helicopter transferred their winch paramedic onboard and swiftly winched the casualty onboard for onward transfer to hospital.

The two remaining casualties remained onboard and a plan was made for Tenby Lifeboat to proceed to the Mackerel Stage, Milford, escorted by Angle Lifeboat.

Both boats arrived alongside around 20 minutes later and the Tenby crew handed both casualties over to paramedics. Dale, St Govans and Tenby Coastguard Rescue Teams were also tasked to assist.

The lifeboat was then stood down and was back alongside the jetty and closed down by 8:30pm.

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, Twitter 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.

Categories