Angle RNLI's busy summer: rescues and call-outs continue

FOR Angle RNLI crew, summer continues to be a busy time for call-outs and rescues, with the lifeboat launching four times on a single day in July.

On July 17 they were tasked alongside Little & Broad Haven Lifeboat Inshore Lifeboat to assist four kayakers who had become stuck in a cave near Wooltack Point, Jack Sound. The National Coastwatch Institution at Wooltack Point would direct the lifeboats to the casualties position.

Both lifeboats arrived on scene at the same time and located the casualties stranded ashore. After making two trips in to the cove, the ILB was able to transfer all casualties and their kayaks onto the All-Weather Lifeboat. The casualties were then taken the short distance to Martins Haven.

No sooner had the lifeboat handed over the casualties, the crew were retasked to assist a yacht suffering machinery failure off the Turbot Bank Buoy.

The lifeboat located the vessel drifting a mile south of the buoy. After an assessment, a tow was rigged and the vessel taken under tow to the Mackerel Stage.

Whilst placing the casualty vessel alongside, a third tasking was received. A 25ft Hardy cabin cruiser off Rudders Boatyard had suffered machinery failure and was drifting on the fast flowing flood tide. In an attempt to prevent hitting any other vessels, the skipper had managed to attach to a mooring buoy.

The lifeboat soon located the vessel. Whilst assessing the situation the skipper confirmed that he had now restarted the engine but wasn’t confident of its reliability.

With concern that the engine may fail again, the vessel was escorted to Neyland Marina and left safely alongside the pontoons.

Not long after the crew had returned home following three back-to-back shouts, the pagers sounded once again - this time to two paddle-boarders being blown offshore at Freshwater West. The lifeboat launched and made best speed towards the scene. While en route, the crew received news that the paddle-boarders had managed to make their way safely ashore with the casualties confirmed safe.

Two days earlier, Angle RNLI Lifeboat launched following a 999 call from the wardens on Skomer Island reporting that a male visiting the island had collapsed. With a previous history of cardiac problems there was concern that this may be related.

Once on scene, casualty care-trained crew members were transferred onto the island to assess the casualty, whose condition had improved slightly. After placing him on oxygen, a plan was made to extract him and his wife back to the mainland at Martins Haven where he could then be taken to hospital.

The lifeboat the crew made the short journey to Martins Haven where the casualty was then assisted to his own vehicle by the lifeboat crew before being taken to hospital by his wife.

With no further assistance required the crew were stood down and returned to station, where the lifeboat was readied for further service once again.

Congratulations go to recently passed out Launch Authority Annie Thomas on her first shout in the role.