A ROUTINE training night for volunteers quickly took a turn which saw them participate in two service launches before going home.

On Wednesday 23 April volunteer crew from Fishguard RNLI launched for a routine training exercise being co-ordinated by HM Coastguard in Milford Haven.

The exercise saw the charity’s Fishguard based Trent class all-weather lifeboat (ALB) Blue Peter VII launch and travel up to Cemais Head near Cardigan where it would meet with lifeboats from New Quay and Cardigan.

When conducting a search for a casualty, multiple assets may be sent to the location to cover a larger area quicker than one vessel. Colleagues in HM Coastguard must demonstrate that they are able to coordinate such a search, managing the assets which are on scene which was the purpose of this exercise, but also provided excellent experience for all crews involved.

Having completed all actions requested by HM Coastguard the ALB returned to the station to end the exercise. Whilst crew were placing the lifeboat on to the moorings a query was received from HM Coastguard as to whether crew had observed anything in the direction of Newport following a report to them of a red parachute flare being seen in the area.

Crew were asked to standby as HM Coastguard made further enquiries. At 10.35pm the volunteer crew were paged with a request to launch both Fishguard’s ALB, and the D class inshore lifeboat (ILB) Edward Arthur Richardson. The request was to conduct a search of the area around Newport with the ILB conducting a search close to shore and the ALB further out conducting a search using the lifeboats radar.

With no further reports and no sign of anyone in distress the lifeboats were stood down and returned to station.

The volunteer crew of the ILB had just begun to refuel and wash down the lifeboat when at 12.15am a second request to launch was received. This time the request was to assist in a multi-agency search involving HM Coastguard and Dyfed-Powys Police for a missing person in the area of Fishguard Bay. The lifeboat launched and made its way toward Lower Town. Once on scene the lifeboat conducted a shoreline search using spotlight and night vision scope covering the whole stretch of coast from the North side of Fishguard Fort, in towards Goodwick and around both breakwaters whilst other agencies searched onshore.

With nothing located the ILB was stood down and was able to return to station where it was refuelled and made ready again for service at 2.00am.

For two volunteers these launches were important. Nick who joined the crew in 2024 and dedicated hours of training to pass his first assessment saw his first service launch crewing the ALB. Jayne, who recently passed out as a Launch Authority was on duty at the time and saw her first launches as the Coastguards point of contact at the station.

Volunteer Launch Authority Jayne Griffiths, said:

‘The training gives you the information you need and prepares you for that moment the pager goes, but it’s still a rush when it does for the first time, and to get your first and second back-to-back really is something.

The volunteer crew really showed their dedication to helping those in need having been out once, and ready to go again straight away. One crew member spent 7 hours at sea that night having been crew for the ALB on training, and then crew on the ILB for both shouts. Others remained at the station to help recover, refuel and wash the ILB when it returned the second time demonstrating great teamwork and the ethos that we are all one crew.

Whilst nothing was located on the first launch, and the individual in the second was located safe by police, if you see anything which indicates distress, or see anyone you believe to be in distress at sea please call 999 or 112 and ask for Coastguard.’