Tenby’s RNLI all-weather lifeboat ‘Haydn Miller’ was requested to launch by the Coastguard at 10.45 am yesterday (February 22) following a report from the Police that a person was missing in the Skrinkle area.

The all-weather lifeboat made best speed in rough seas towards Skrinkle and began a search of the area. Once it was deemed that the conditions were safe enough for the Inshore Lifeboat that was launched and joined the search too.

As the inshore lifeboat was arriving on scene, the Coastguard cliff team spotted the casualty at the base of a 100ft+ cliff in a small cove. ??

The inshore lifeboat went into the cove in in between waves and dropped off three crew members to go and assess the best way of extracting the casualty. In the meantime, Coastguard Rescue Helicopter 187 from St Athan was tasked to provide assistance, whilst the cliff team prepared to send a technician down from the top.

Due to the increasing swell going into the cove, it was decided that a sea extraction was too dangerous. Once Rescue 187 arrived on scene, they decided that due to the small dimensions of the cove and many loose stones above, it was unsafe for them to try to winch the casualty and crew up. The only option left was to take everyone up by rope.??Both lifeboats then stood-by and provided safety cover whilst the three lifeboat crew members and cliff rescue technician were winched up to the top of the cliff, before the helicopter retrieved the casualty.??

All units were then stood down and the lifeboats returned to station, arriving at 3.30 pm.