St Davids RNLI supports rugby memorial for Harvester trawler tragedy victims
St Davids RNLI lifeboat launched on Saturday 17th February to collect a rugby ball for The Willington Slate Trophy memorial rugby match between St Davids RFC and Pembroke RFC
On 28 April 2016, father and son Gareth and Daniel Willington drowned when their boat the Harvester sank off St Davids Head. As part of the multi agency search operation, St Davids RNLI launched Tyne, Tamar and inshore lifeboats, Angle launched its Tamar class and Fishguard launched both its Trent and inshore lifeboats.
Meeting Angle RNLI at Martins Haven, in a symbolic gesture the rugby ball was thrown successfully to St Davids volunteers. All-weather lifeboat Norah Wortley then headed to a position just off Carreg Tri, a reef west of St Davids head, where it’s thought the two fishermen fell into the water.
St Davids crew lined the aft deck and conducted a minutes silence in honour of the men before returning to St Davids. Coxswain Will Chant presented the ball pitch side to Darrel Willington, brother of Gareth, uncle of Daniel, and ex chairman of Pembroke RFC.
The rugby match raised money for the Fisherman’s Mission and the RNLI and ended in a 31-24 victory to St Davids RFC.
RNLI media contacts
For more information please telephone Simone Eade, RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07799 804 922 or [email protected] or Claire Fitzpatrick-Smith, Regional Communications Manager on 07977 728 315 or C_Fitzpatrick-Smit2 @rnli.org.uk or contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.
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.