ANGLE RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crew responded to four separate emergency call-outs this week, assisting stricken vessels across Pembrokeshire waters.

The first incident occurred at 6:33am on Saturday (April 5), when the All-Weather Lifeboat was launched to assist an 11-metre yacht fouled on a mooring buoy in Dale. The vessel, which had two people onboard, had become tangled overnight and lost its dinghy while attempting to free itself.

The lifeboat was on scene within ten minutes. A crew member was transferred to the yacht and, after several attempts, managed to cut the vessel free. The yacht had secured its bow to another mooring buoy, and once freed, the lifeboat’s inflatable Y-boat was launched to recover the drifting dinghy, reducing any risk to the crew. With all systems checked and working, the lifeboat stood down and was back alongside by 8:00am.

Later that same day, at 5:57pm, the lifeboat was paged again following multiple 999 calls reporting a jet skier clinging to the jetty piles at Hobbs Point. The lifeboat launched immediately but was stood down on arrival after the jet skier had self-recovered. A welfare check was carried out before the crew returned to station.

At 10:50am on Friday (April 11), the lifeboat was again launched to assist a 13-metre yacht fouled on fishing gear around seven miles south of St Ann’s Head. The yacht’s crew had been unable to free the vessel from the seabed. Two lifeboat crew members were transferred to the yacht and successfully cut it free after ten minutes. However, the yacht’s skipper soon reported steering failure, prompting the lifeboat to set up a tow to Neyland Marina, where the vessel could be lifted out the following day. Shortly into the tow, steering was restored, and the yacht continued under its own power. The lifeboat shadowed the vessel to confirm all was well before returning to base at 1:30pm.

The final call-out came on Saturday (April 13) at 9:17am, while the crew were already afloat on an exercise. They were alerted to a small angling vessel experiencing fuel issues in the channel off Milford Docks. A local pilot vessel was standing by and requested RNLI assistance. The lifeboat took the vessel under tow to Neyland Marina, where the marina workboat completed the recovery. The lifeboat then returned to its scheduled exercise.

A spokesperson for Angle RNLI praised the dedication and professionalism of the crew, who responded quickly and efficiently to all incidents.

Photo caption:
On call: Angle RNLI assisted four vessels in difficulty this week (Pic: RNLI/Herald).

A 26-year-old man has been reported missing in Thailand after his family lost contact with him more than eight weeks ago.

Daniel Davies was last seen on March 13 on Phi Phi Island, a popular tourist destination in southern Thailand. He had been staying at the Hangover Hostel in Bangkok prior to his disappearance.

A missing person report has been filed with Dyfed-Powys Police, and the case is now listed under reference number DP-20250329-215.

Daniel is described as being around 6ft tall, of slim build, with blonde hair and a beard. He also has tattoo sleeves on both arms.

Echoes of the Lost – a national missing persons initiative – has now joined the appeal alongside SARS Cymru, urging anyone with information to come forward. In a statement, they said: “Daniel, if you happen to see this post, please get in contact with your family. They are worried. If you wish to message us to pass information along, please feel free to do so.”

His aunt, Nicola Doran, has been sharing emotional appeals online, writing: “My nephew Daniel Davies, 26, from Llanelli – he’s gone missing in Bangkok, Thailand. He’s been reported and is now a missing person. No one has had any contact in weeks.”

Friends and family have been spreading the appeal across social media, hoping someone in Thailand may have seen him. One post reads: “Can all my mates out in Thailand, Bangkok area, please share this and keep eyes out for my lil’ kuzen – he’s been missing 8 weeks over there.”

Daniel’s disappearance has been reported to Thai police, and the UK Foreign Office is understood to be aware of the case.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Dyfed-Powys Police by emailing 101@dyfed-powys.police.uk or calling 101, quoting reference DP-20250329-215.

FARMERS in Wales have warned that changes to the way agricultural support is calculated could see them lose millions in future funding, as allocations move from a needs-based system to one based on population size.

The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) has criticised the shift, branding the move “nonsense” and “concerning,” arguing it fails to reflect the reality that Wales has more farms per head than England.

Under the former EU model, funding was distributed based on need. However, from 2025-26, support for Welsh farmers will be included in the Welsh Government’s overall budget and determined by the Barnett formula—a population-based mechanism.

Guto Bebb, Chief Executive of the FUW, told BBC Radio Wales: “This latest decision is very concerning because if there is any future increase in farm funding, Wales will be allocated a population-based 5.2% rather than the 9.2% share we previously received based on need.”

The change, announced in the UK Budget last October, has raised alarm bells among the farming community. Mr Bebb urged farmers and unions to ensure that politicians in Cardiff remain committed to backing what he described as a “crucial part of the rural economy.”

The First Minister, Eluned Morgan, had already voiced similar concerns earlier this year, warning the Welsh Affairs Committee in Westminster that the new model could leave Wales short-changed. “When it comes to agriculture, we should be significantly higher than 5%,” she said.

Despite the concerns, both the UK Treasury and Welsh Government have insisted the new settlement will benefit Welsh agriculture.

A spokesperson for HM Treasury said: “The Welsh Government is receiving over 20% more per person than the equivalent UK government spending in England. This translates to over £4 billion more in 2025-26. The full amount of agricultural funding from 2024-25 has been baselined into this settlement.”

Meanwhile, the Welsh Government said it welcomes having full discretion over agricultural support spending and confirmed that more than £366 million has been allocated this year—an increase from the previous year when farm funding was still ringfenced.

However, farming leaders remain sceptical, warning that the shift could jeopardise livelihoods in rural communities if funding does not continue to reflect the true scale and nature of Wales’ agricultural sector.