ANYONE watching the entrance to the Milford Haven Waterway on Saturday morning (March 22) might have thought a serious maritime emergency was unfolding — but the presence of three RNLI Tamar class lifeboats was, in fact, part of a major pre-planned training exercise.

The dramatic display saw all-weather lifeboats from Tenby, Angle, and St Davids RNLI stations working together in challenging conditions, simulating a complex rescue scenario. The exercise was coordinated by Milford Haven Coastguard and centred around a mock emergency in which a person had reportedly fallen overboard from a vessel in the area.

Observers saw the three 25-knot-capable Tamar lifeboats manoeuvring in tight formation and conducting detailed search patterns as they combed the sea for the “casualty” — all while accounting for strong tidal currents, wind, and the busy marine traffic of one of the UK’s key ports.

The drill was designed not only to test individual crew skills but also to enhance inter-station cooperation in the kind of multi-agency emergency that could happen at any time along the Pembrokeshire coast.

The casualty was ultimately located and retrieved by the Tenby lifeboat crew, marking a successful conclusion to the scenario. Once the operation was complete, the three crews met up on the water to debrief and review the exercise before returning to their respective stations.

A spokesperson for Tenby RNLI said: “This exercise was a great chance to put into practice all of our hard work and training. It was a large and complex exercise, which involved searching for a casualty in the water, but had the added pressure of being on the approaches to a busy waterway. The crews all performed really well, locating the casualty and bringing it aboard safely. We’d like to thank St Davids and Angle crews and also Milford Haven Coastguard for coordinating and overseeing the exercise.”

Tamar class lifeboats, introduced into RNLI service in 2005, are among the most advanced in the charity’s fleet, equipped with cutting-edge navigation and communication systems and capable of operating in the worst sea conditions. Seeing three of them in close operation is a rare and impressive sight — one that this weekend served as a powerful reminder of the RNLI’s dedication.

The RNLI and why training is vital

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is a charitable organisation dedicated to saving lives at sea across the United Kingdom and Ireland. Established in 1824, the RNLI operates over 230 lifeboat stations and provides a 24-hour search and rescue service using both all-weather and inshore lifeboats. The charity also delivers beach lifeguard services and works to promote water safety education in communities around the coast.

What makes the RNLI particularly remarkable is that the majority of its lifeboat crew members are volunteers. These individuals come from all walks of life—fishermen, mechanics, teachers, and office workers—who drop everything when their pagers go off, often heading out into the most challenging conditions imaginable. They commit to rigorous training, regular assessments, and ongoing drills to maintain the skills needed to respond quickly, effectively, and safely to emergencies at sea.

Training is not only essential for individual crew members, but it also plays a vital role in ensuring that multiple lifeboats and agencies can operate together smoothly during major incidents. Multi-agency rescues often involve coordination between RNLI lifeboats, HM Coastguard, helicopters, and sometimes other emergency services. These operations can be logistically complex and take place in dangerous, fast-changing environments. Exercises like the one held off Milford Haven allow teams to test communication, refine search strategies, and build the confidence and trust required to perform seamlessly when real lives are at stake.