Busy Weekend for Aberystwyth Lifeboat

The crew at Aberystwyth lifeboat were called out twice on the evening of Friday 29th July, firstly to an inflatable dinghy off South beach, but were quickly told the casualty had come ashore; as the Arancia lifeboat had already launched they decided to check if anyone else was in difficulty due to the offshore wind. They soon found 2 people in rubber rings floating out to sea with no way to get back and surrounded by jelly fish. After taking the two casualties back to the shore and explaining about the dangers of the offshore wind they picked up two more abandoned inflatables before attempting to return to station.

As they were about to leave the area they noticed a person under the pier in an inflatable. It was quickly ascertained that the person was stuck and unable to make it ashore and it also transpired unable to swim. The casualty was taken back to the beach and the crews returned home.

Less than an hour later at 7:55pm the both station lifeboats were sent to reports of a large group of people in difficulty in the water off the pier. Once on scene it was quickly identified that a number of inflatables had been taken ashore by passing kayakers and both boats returned back to station.

On Saturday 30th June, at 12:45pm, the lifeboat was launched to an inflatable dinghy being blown out to sea off the beach at Clarach. The fast Atlantic 85 'Spirit of Friendship' was launched and soon located the inflatable being pushed out to sea with one person aboard. Once this was taken to shore, they spotted another inflatable in difficulty and was able to return it and its two occupants safely back to the beach. As they were about to head back to station they were flagged down by a small tender which had been unable to get its engine started and was also being pushed away from the safety of the beach. The lifeboat assisted the two people on board back to the shore before doing a sweep of all four beaches in the Aberystwyth area and returning to station.

On Sunday the 1st of July whilst out on exercise the lifeboat was asked to go and assist a small fishing boat which had suffered engine failure just after leaving the harbour. The boat with one adult and two children aboard was towed back into Aberystwyth harbour and put onto its moorings. This was also the first shout for Seren James-Williams who has just joined the crew, after following in the footsteps of long serving volunteer Paul Williams, who is her dad.

The crew at Aberystwyth RNLI want people to enjoy using the sea in this hot weather, but advice people to respect the water and make sure they are properly prepared for the activity they are doing. Check wind conditions if using an inflatable and either stay close to the shore or tether the boat so it cant be blown out to sea.