Positive outcome after major search off Pembrokeshire coast

The volunteer crew from Fishguard RNLI were first requested to launch the charity’s lifeboats at 12.18pm on Saturday 1 November 2024.

HM Coastguard made the request following information being passed to them by Dyfed Powys Police of a missing person in Fishguard area.

Information provided was that the missing person, a keen photographer had made their way from England to Fishguard for a few days photographing sunrises/sunsets and local wildlife, but had failed to return home at the arranged time.

The missing person was known to be experienced in solo excursions and launched a small RHIB from the Parrog in Goodwick where the vehicle was located by police.

Fishguard lifeboats were initially tasked to search the section of coastline from Aber Mawr in the West, to Newport in the East for any signs of the missing person, his vessel or evidence of camping.

Within minutes of launching, crew on-board the charity’s all weather Trent class lifeboat Blue Peter VII spotted a tent in the vicinity of Carreg Gwastad point. Crew onboard the D class inshore lifeboat Edward Arthur Richardson joined their volunteer crewmates in the area and put crew ashore to investigate the tent. Items belonging to the missing person were located and recovered from the beach to then be passed on to police.

Following the discovery of the camp further lifeboats from St Davids, Cardigan and New Quay were launched to conduct searches, with the small inshore lifeboats searching close inshore, and larger all weather lifeboats conducting search patterns further out to sea. The search was also joined by Coastguard teams searching around the coast as well as Coastguard helicopters and a fixed wing aircraft allowing for a larger area to be searched.

RNLI volunteer crews searched into darkness until approximately 8.00pm when they were stood down by HM Coastguard who were coordinating the search.

On the morning of 2 November 2024 lifeboat crews from Fishguard, St Davids and Cardigan again launched to continue the search and were joined in their efforts by Little and Broad Haven lifeboat. The volunteer crews again conducted a shoreline search which in total covered the entire coast from Skomer Island all the way up to Mwnt.

With no sign of the missing person or vessel all lifeboats returned to their respective stations where they were made ready again for service.

In the afternoon information was received from HM Coastguard that the individual had been located safe and well in Ireland, having arrived there on his RHIB.

Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for Fishguard RNLI, Cedwyn Rogers said:

‘This is a fantastic outcome for the casualty and his family following what must have been a very concerning time for them all and hope they are reunited very soon.

Over the last two days volunteers from around the Pembrokeshire coast have really embodied the spirit of the RNLI and banded together in an effort to bring closure either way to the family and friends of this individual.

In total eight lifeboats from five stations have been involved in the search as well as other volunteers and aircraft crew from the Coastguard.

We would like to remind anyone going on excursions, particularly if going solo to ensure that another party is kept informed of your location and intentions.

For excursions spanning multiple days it should be ensured that you have adequate means of keeping your mobile phone charged, or have a secondary means of contact such as a personal handheld VHF radio. Whichever means you choose should kept within reach at all times, and if necessary within a waterproof pouch.

In an emergency around the coast please call 999 or 112 and ask for Coastguard.’

RNLI vessels involved in the search were as follows:

Fishguard RNLI

Blue Peter VII – Trent class all weather lifeboat

Edward Arthur Richardson – D class inshore lifeboat

St Davids RNLI

Norah Wortley – Tamar class all weather lifeboat

Marian and Alan Clayton – D class inshore lifeboat

Cardigan RNLI

Albatross – Atlantic 85 B class inshore lifeboat

Lizzie Hook – D class inshore lifeboat (Relief fleet)

Little and Broad Haven RNLI

Jack and Edith May – D class inshore lifeboat

New Quay RNLI

Roy Barker V – Shannon class all weather lifeboat

Notes to editor:

· Attached photo (Photo 1) shows Fishguard lifeboats approaching the location of the beach on which the camp had been set up. (Friday 1 November 2024). Photo credit: RNLI/Fishguard

· Attached photo (Photo 2) shows inshore lifeboat crew communicating with colleagues ashore following investigation of unrelated debris in a cave. (Friday 1 November 2024) Photo credit: RNLI/Fishguard

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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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