Fishguard volunteer crew respond to early morning search
Volunteers at RNLI Fishguard launched yesterday (Thursday 19 October) to assist in the search for a person who had been reported missing.
The crew were paged at 2.24am with a request from HM Coastguard to launch the charity’s Fishguard based lifeboats following a report to Dyfed-Powys Police for a missing person.
The crew launched both the all-weather Trent class lifeboat Blue Peter VII and the inshore D class lifeboat Edward Arthur Richardson in order to conduct a shoreline search. Onshore, colleagues from Fishguard HM Coastguard and Dyfed-Powys Police were also conducting a search.
As the crew were searching the coast they received information from HM Coastguard that the individual had been located. With this the lifeboats were stood down and returned to station where they were made ready again for service.
Cedwyn Rogers, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer said:
“We are pleased we were able to assist our land based colleagues by providing our specialist skills and the beneficial viewpoint that searching the coast from the water can provide.”
This was the second launch for RNLI Fishguard within the last week having previously been paged at 5.03pm on Friday 13 October after a yacht was observed to be dragging its anchor in the area between the outer breakwater and Fishguard Fort.
Not knowing if there were any crew on board both lifeboats were launched to assess the situation to determine the best course of action. As the inshore lifeboat approached the owner of the vessel appeared on deck having been unaware of the situation. The owner was able to start the engine whilst two crew members were transferred aboard to assist with retrieving the anchor.
As the yacht was able to make way under its own power it was determined the safest course of action would be for the lifeboats to escort it to the stations casualty mooring.
The lifeboat crew still on board assisted in picking up the mooring and securing the yacht in order to sit out the weather overnight. With the yacht safely tethered the lifeboat crews returned to the station where the lifeboats were made ready again for service.
Notes to Editors:
· The attached stock photo (Photo 1) shows the charity’s all weather Trent class lifeboat Blue Peter VII launching at night. (Saturday 12 February 2023) Credit. RNLI Fishguard.
· The attached photo (Photo 2) shows the view from the all weather Trent class lifeboat Blue Peter VII of the D class inshore lifeboat Edward Arthur Richardson with casualty vessel in the background. (Friday 13 October 2023) Credit. RNLI Fishguard.
RNLI Media Contacts
For more information please contact Cedwyn Rogers, Lifeboat Press Officer on [email protected] or RNLI Regional Media Officer Eleri Roberts on [email protected] / 07771941390
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 142,700 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.