Sunday is not a day of rest when you’re a volunteer RNLI crew member

The pager first sounded at 11.16am where the volunteer crew of Inshore lifeboat (ILB) Craig Steadman were tasked by HM Coastguard to a yacht in the channel with a disengaged rudder. On arrival at the scene an assessment was made with the Harbour Master, who was also on scene and given the fact that the yacht crew were unable to make safe progress without their rudder and it would be dangerous to leave them drifting in the channel, a decision was made to establish a tow.

As the crew began to set up a tow they were tasked by HM Coastguard to an urgent incident of a person in the water.

Leaving the Harbour Master, who volunteered to tow the stricken yacht back to its mooring in the harbour, the volunteer crew of ILB Craig Steadman made good speed to the breakwater where the woman in the water had been seen.

On arriving on the scene the crew found the woman back on board her boat. She had initially tried to swim ashore when the auxiliary engine on her boat started smoking after the main engine had failed, but had managed to get herself back on board. With no way of restarting the engine the crew of ILB Craig Steadman established a tow and returned the boat to its mooring in the harbour.

Following that tow, the Lifeboat crew returned to the first stricken vessel and prepared to tow it from the mooring to the Harbour wall, however the lifeboat was recalled to the boathouse as the crew had another shout… this time on All weather lifeboat (ALB) Ella Larsen and the stricken yacht had their own tender to take their crew ashore.

ILB Craig Steadman returned to the boathouse where some crew refuelled her and readied her for service, whilst two of the crew boarded ALB Ella Larsen.

It was 12.02pm when the pager sounded, this time HM Coastguard was tasking All weather lifeboat (ALB) Ella Larsen to a Rib with five persons on board which had lost power 13 miles off the Aberdyfi coast. The volunteer crew of ALB Ella Larsen made their way to the stricken vessel. The sailors onboard had just completed the Cardigan Bay Welsh sea rowing Challenge in their Celtic longboat, rowing from Fishguard to Pwllheli and were on their way home in the rib to Newquay.

Once on scene, the RNLI crew assessed the situation. Given the fact that the stricken crew were unable to make safe progress without power, a decision was made to establish a tow. The crew were transferred to the survivor cabin within Ella Larsen and a tow was undertaken towards Aberdyfi.

Aberdyfi RNLI, with local Barmouth lad and senior helm Wil Stockford onboard, were also tasked by HM Coastguard. They made their way to meet Barmouth ALB and at 2.30pm, transferred the five casualties to their Atlantic 85 and under tow took the stricken vessel back to safe port.

ALB Ella Larsen and her crew returned to

Barmouth boathouse where she was washed down and readied for service at 5.56pm.

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.

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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.