THE STENA LINE ferry service between Fishguard and Rosslare has faced a wave of cancellations this weekend, leaving many passengers stranded or forced to find alternative travel arrangements.

A combination of technical issues aboard the Stena Nordica and poor weather conditions has disrupted multiple crossings since Saturday (Apr 5), with the vessel currently unable to depart Fishguard until tomorrow afternoon (Monday, Apr 7).

The first signs of trouble emerged on Saturday when the 2:00pm sailing from Fishguard was delayed and ultimately cancelled. As a result, the evening return trip from Rosslare was also scrapped.

Stena Line advised affected passengers that they could rebook or divert to the Holyhead to Dublin route. Some opted to remain on board the Nordica in the hope that the vessel would sail at 1:30am on Sunday (Apr 6), but that service was also cancelled.

Among those caught up in the disruption was ferry enthusiast George Holland, who had boarded for a planned day trip. “There were 96 cars on board and lots of families getting away for the school holidays,” he told The Herald. “The crew were under pressure but stayed upbeat and professional. They did a fantastic job of keeping everyone informed and comfortable.”

Initially, Sunday’s 2:00pm departure was expected to operate as scheduled, but worsening weather led to its cancellation. Meanwhile, tonight’s 7:30pm sailing from Rosslare has also been pulled, this time due to the technical fault.

Passengers have since been rebooked onto Irish Ferries’ Pembroke Dock to Rosslare service.

As of now, the Stena Nordica is set to resume operations from Fishguard on Monday afternoon, but Stena Line’s booking site shows that sailing as fully booked.

Passengers seeking updates or wishing to amend bookings are encouraged to visit the Stena Line website.

AT 3:19pm on Saturday (April 5), St Davids’ all-weather lifeboat was launched to assist a paddle boarder reported to be struggling in offshore conditions near Abereiddy.

Shortly after the volunteer crew launched, HM Coastguard confirmed that the individual had made it safely ashore and the lifeboat was stood down.

Offshore winds can catch out even the most experienced paddler. Always check the wind and weather conditions carefully before heading out to sea.

A LARGE police response was launched in St Florence on Sunday morning (Apr 6) following reports of a missing child.

Emergency services, including multiple police vehicles and a helicopter, were seen speeding to the quiet Pembrokeshire village shortly after 10:00am with sirens sounding.

The Herald understands that the missing person was a six-year-old girl, and that officers began immediate door-to-door inquiries in an effort to locate her.

One local resident said: “Police knocked on my door at around 10:30am saying a six-year-old was missing and they were concerned. They were asking for any information and knocking on all the properties.”

Another witness added: “I saw a police helicopter just after ten-o-clock in the morning. There was so much police activity— so many police cars.”

Fortunately, the girl was found safe and well a short time later.

Tenby, Saundersfoot and Narberth Police posted an update on social media, saying: “There has been a large police presence in St Florence this morning following a report of a missing person.

“We can confirm that the person has been located safe and well.

“Thank you to the local community for their support and patience.”