Angle RNLI crew members raced to the rescue of a 28ft yacht in difficulty in 42 knot winds and seas reaching 6 metres.

At 10.56am on Tuesday, February 3, whilst afloat on a navigation passout in Dale Roads the crew overheard a broken Pan Pan call from a yacht west of Skokholm Island.

Shortly after, the lifeboat was tasked by the coastguard to begin proceeding whilst they continued to gather details.

Whilst en route an update was passed to the crew that the vessel, a 28ft yacht with one person onboard was suffering engine failure, had blown out its sail and was also taking on water from an unknown location.

The lifeboat crew located the vessel around 3 miles west of Skokholm Island. After an assessment of the situation, and with the conditions too poor to put a crew member onboard the yacht the safest option was to take the vessel under tow.

The crew swiftly set about rigging and passing a tow to the casualty vessel. With a south easterly wind gusting 42 knots and a very rough sea state with waves of up to 6 metres, a slow tow was commenced towards Milford Haven.

However, shortly after commencing the tow the yachts skipper was thrown overboard by a large wave. Tethered via his safety harness, the skipper was now trailing alongside the vessel.

The lifeboat crew immediately cut the tow and set about attempting to recover the casualty.

With the yacht’s skipper over the port side of the vessel and the tow rope fouling any attempting of boarding the starboard side, in difficult conditions a crew member was eventually placed onboard the yacht over its bow.

The skipper’s safety harness was cut allowing him to drift clear of the vessel, and the crew onboard the lifeboat were then able to recover him from the water.

With the priority now being getting the casualty ashore, and the risk of attempting to tow the vessel too great, the lifeboats crew member was recovered from the vessel and the lifeboat began proceeding back towards Milford Haven.

On arrival back at Milford, the crew were met by Dale Coastguard Rescue Team who assisted in assessing the casualty and gathering the relevant details required.

With no further assistance required the crew were stood down and the lifeboat was readied for further service by 2:30pm.

Thanks went to The Lord Nelson Hotel for accommodating the casualty at short notice.