RNLI assists stricken yacht off Aberystwyth
On Tuesday evening (2 June) at 19:11, New Quay RNLI’s Shannon class all-weather lifeboat, Roy Barker V, was launched to assist a yachtsman in difficulty off the Aberystwyth coast, working alongside colleagues from Aberystwyth RNLI.
With six volunteer crew members on board, the lifeboat launched on service into south-westerly Force 4-5 winds.
Bernie Davies, New Quay RNLI’s coxswain said: “The 29ft yacht had suffered mechanical failure, leaving the lone occupant fatigued and in need of assistance. Arriving on scene, Aberystwyth lifeboat crew had successfully evacuated the casualty to shore, where further care was provided.
“We transferred two crew members onto the yacht to assess the situation and attempt to resolve the issue with the vessel.
“Despite efforts, the yacht’s engine could not be restarted. With the vessel’s anchor beginning to drag and the risk of it becoming a navigational hazard in the approaches to Aberystwyth harbour increasing, we decided that establishing a tow was the safest course of action.”
Aberystwyth RNLI’s Launch Authority, Huw Goodchild, on his first call on service in the role, added: “Our crew were paged at 18:15 and located the vessel quickly. They were able to evacuate the casualty to safety but due to the challenging conditions we were unable to bring the vessel into Aberystwyth harbour, so we were grateful to the team in New Quay for launching to assist us in the rescue with the larger lifeboat.”
Due to the prevailing weather conditions on scene, the decision was made for New Quay’s all-weather lifeboat to tow the yacht to the nearest safe haven of New Quay harbour. The yacht was successfully secured to a mooring on arrival. The lifeboat was recovered and the volunteer crew stood down at 01:30.
Ed Hides, New Quay RNLI’s Lifeboat Operations Manager, said:
“It was a very long evening for our volunteer crew and we were pleased with the outcome. Working closely with our colleagues at Aberystwyth RNLI demonstrated just how important strong teamwork and communication are in situations like this. By combining our resources and experience, we were able to bring the incident to a safe conclusion.
“Remember, if you’re in difficulty at sea or along the coastline, please call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.”
RNLI Media Contacts
For further information, please contact:
Kate Williams, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI Wales & West, [email protected]
Claire Fitzpatrick-Smith, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Wales, West of England and Isle of Man, 07977 728 315, [email protected]
Danielle Rush, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for Wales, West of England and Isle of Man, 07786 668829, [email protected]
RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [email protected]
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI is the charity that 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 146,700 lives.
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