A five-metre fishing vessel, which suffered engine failure off Skomer Island on Saturday (May 28), was towed to safety by Angle RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat.

The Tamar class lifeboat Mark Mason was launched at 11.47 am and reached the fishing vessel, which had two people on board, in 25 minutes.

The casualty was half-a-miles south of Skomer. Two nearby vessels, which had responded to the initial call for assistance, were released to continue with their day’s fishing.

The lifeboat established a tow and the fishing vessel was taken up the Milford Haven Waterway to Burton Ferry. There, a local speedboat offered to tow the casualty alongside the pontoon.

With the casualty safely berthed, the lifeboat was released to return to her station, where she was rehoused at 2.26 pm.

Angle’s all-weather and inshore lifeboats were among five RNLI lifeboats, a police vessel and a coastguard rescue helicopter, which were launched on Thursday evening (May 26), after a crew member was reported missing from an Irish Sea ferry.

Angle’s Tamar class lifeboat Mark Mason was launched shortly after 5pm to search for the crewman, who was last seen on board the Irish Ferries’ Rosslare-Pembroke Dock ship, two miles to the east of Grassholm Island.

The area between Linney Head and Grassholm Island was searched extensively, assisted by St. Davids RNLI’s Tamar and Tyne class all-weather lifeboats, the Little and Broad Haven RNLI inshore lifeboat, Dyfed-Powys Police vessel Mike 66 and Coastguard rescue helicopter 187 from St Athan.

Angle’s inshore lifeboat SuperG II was also launched, at 7.15 pm, to assist and searched the Milford Haven Waterway.

The search was co-ordinated by Milford Haven Coastguard.

With no reported sightings, and with fading light, the search was called off shortly before 10 pm.