Both the St Davids RNLI all-weather and inshore lifeboats were requested to launch within 30 minutes of each other for two separate multi agency rescues on Sunday (August 17) - one for a paddleboarder in difficulty; and the other where an 11 year old child had collapsed.

At 11.25am, HM Coastguard tasked the all-weather lifeboat to reports of a stand up paddle (SUP) boarder shouting for help on the seaward side of the blue lagoon, Abereiddy. With south easterly winds blowing offshore along the north Pembrokeshire coast, lifeboat Norah Wortley arrived to no visible sign of the casualty.

Liaising with St Davids coastguard rescue team on shore, who were advised by a family member that the missing SUP boarder had asthma, the volunteer crew undertook a search along the coast before extending the search further offshore.

A lifeboat crew member spotted a paddle held aloft almost 1.5 miles offshore at about the same time as the coastguard located the paddleboard via binoculars. The casualty was brought onto the lifeboat where they were deemed to be well, and transferred to the daughter boat to rendezvous with the coastguard team and concerned family members back at Abereiddy beach. The lifeboat was stood down and returned to station at 1.10pm.

At 11.56am, whilst the all-weather lifeboat was searching at Abereiddy, the D-class lifeboat was tasked to a medical emergency at Porthlysgi beach where an 11 year old child had collapsed. The casualty was suspected to be in cold water related shock and was in the care of a fast response paramedic who required casualty care and extraction support.

St Davids all-weather lifeboat searches for the missing paddle boarder
St Davids all-weather lifeboat searches for the missing paddle boarder ( HM Coastguard St Davids)

Upon the arrival of inshore lifeboat Marian and Alan Clayton, the casualty had regained consciousness. With the child cold, tired and requiring further medical observation, an extraction overland by stretcher via the coast path was ruled out. Instead the casualty and paramedic were loaded onto the inshore lifeboat using an RNLI stretcher and taken to Porthclais harbour.

Upon arrival at the harbour, the casualty was transferred into the care of an awaiting ambulance crew and Broad Haven coastguard rescue team.

With casualty safe in the hands of the ambulance crew, the lifeboat was stood down and arrived back at the station at 1.30pm.