Volunteers diverted mid-exercise to help casualty at slipway

CREW from Angle RNLI were called into action yesterday afternoon after being diverted from a training exercise to assist with a medical emergency at Neyland Slipway.

The all-weather lifeboat was afloat on an extended navigation exercise when the request for assistance came in at 2:44pm. At the time, the crew were operating off Milford Shelf and immediately made best speed towards Neyland.

On arrival, the lifeboat’s inflatable Y-boat was launched, allowing casualty care-trained volunteers to reach the shore quickly. Crew members assessed the casualty and provided immediate assistance while coordinating with emergency services.

Working alongside Dale Coastguard Rescue Team and the Welsh Ambulance Service, the volunteers helped safely extract the casualty from the slipway and transfer them for further treatment.

Once the incident was concluded, the lifeboat was stood down and returned to station, where it was cleaned, refuelled and readied for service again by 4:30pm.

A spokesperson said the call-out highlighted how quickly routine training can turn into a real-life rescue, with crews ready to respond at a moment’s notice.

Lifeboat crew battle six-metre seas after lone sailor loses engine, sail and takes on water west of Skokholm

ANGLE RNLI lifeboat volunteers carried out a dramatic rescue after responding to a broken Pan Pan call from a 28ft yacht in severe conditions, with winds gusting to 42 knots and waves reaching up to six metres.

At 10:56am on Tuesday (Feb 3), the crew were already afloat on a navigation pass-out exercise in Dale Roads when they overheard the distress transmission from a yacht west of Skokholm Island. Moments later, HM Coastguard tasked the lifeboat to respond while further information was gathered.

While making best speed to the scene, the crew were told the yacht, carrying one person, had suffered engine failure, blown out its sail and was taking on water from an unknown source.

The casualty vessel was located around three miles west of the island. After assessing the situation, the crew decided conditions were too dangerous to place a lifeboat volunteer aboard, and the safest option was to establish a tow.

With a south-easterly gale and a very rough sea state, the tow was rigged and the yacht began a slow passage towards Milford Haven.

However, shortly after the tow commenced, a large wave threw the skipper overboard. Although tethered to the yacht by his safety harness, he was dragged alongside the vessel in the heavy swell.

The lifeboat crew immediately released the tow and began recovery operations. With the towline fouling access on one side and the casualty trapped on the other, a crew member was eventually placed aboard the yacht over its bow. The skipper’s harness was cut, allowing him to drift clear, before he was safely recovered from the water by the lifeboat.

With the priority now the sailor’s welfare, and the risks of re-establishing the tow judged too great, the crew member was brought back aboard and the lifeboat returned to harbour.

On arrival, volunteers from the Dale Coastguard Rescue Team assisted with casualty care and gathered the necessary details.

The lifeboat was stood down and made ready for further service by 2:30pm.

The station also thanked the The Lord Nelson Hotel for accommodating the sailor at short notice.

A spokesperson for Angle RNLI said the incident highlighted both the speed at which conditions can deteriorate at sea and the importance of safety equipment such as harnesses and tethers.

Community to gather for Jozef Polak’s funeral after sudden death in Cyprus

THE PEMBROKESHIRE community will come together on Valentine’s Day to say a final goodbye to much-loved scaffolding firm boss Jozef Mcleod Polak, who died suddenly while abroad.

Jozef, aged 41, of Johnston, passed away unexpectedly in Cyprus on January 14, leaving family, friends and colleagues devastated by the loss.

Well known through his business, JP Scaffolding, and his long-standing support for local causes and sport, he was widely described as a warm-hearted, larger-than-life character who would help anyone without hesitation.

Tributes poured in within hours of the news breaking.

“My best mate… taken too soon,” wrote Adam Rogers. Timothy Jones added: “Sad news. RIP mate,” while Gareth Williams said: “RIP Joe thoughts with all the family.”

Others spoke of his humour and generosity. Ginge Davies said: “Rip JP truly a great guy… a complete nutter with a heart of gold… he was such a good laugh.”

Friends who had known him since childhood remembered a polite and kind young man. Simon Narbett said: “Spent many weekends around our house as a kid in Johnston… always very polite and well mannered boy, nice family too. RIP Jozef.”

The sense of shock was clear across social media, with many saying the news was hard to believe.

Jozef was also a long-standing supporter of The Pembrokeshire Herald, advertising regularly and remaining a valued customer for more than a decade. The Herald team worked with him on a number of stories over the years, including coverage linked to the collapse of Mustang Marine which affected several local contractors.

At Johnston Football Club, where he was a familiar and trusted figure, tributes described him as a “club legend”.

The club said his connection stretched back years through family sponsorship before he stepped up his own involvement around 2012 — a period that saw Johnston enjoy one of the most successful spells in its history, including lifting the West Wales Cup.

His backing was practical as well as financial. Over the years he helped provide more than 20 senior kits, along with junior and minis kits, balls, training gear and tracksuits. He also stepped in to help with maintenance work around the ground.

“We never had to ask twice,” the club said, adding that in recent years it became routine to call him whenever something needed sorting. “He’d simply ask, ‘How much do you want?’”

Family and friends will now gather to pay their respects at Parc Gwyn Crematorium, Narberth, on Saturday, February 14 at 1:00pm.

Family flowers only are requested. Donations in Jozef’s memory may be made to NSPCC, supporting the charity’s work protecting children.

For many in Johnston, his passing leaves a gap that will be hard to fill — a familiar face, a generous supporter, and, as one friend put it simply, “one of the good ones.”