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News

Sixteen year old skipper’s heart-break over lost trawler

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crew

EXCLUSIVE by Matthew Bearne

 

THE PEMBROKESHIRE HERALD has spoken exclusively to the skipper of the a Milford-registered fishing boat, who was dramatically rescued along with the rest of his crew last week.

The Cesca, a 16 metre trawler,sank off north Wales on Thursday (Feb 12).

The vessel ran into difficulties off The Llyn Peninsula, but despite the best efforts of the crew and coastguard, she finally sank at around 2330HRS.  The four-man crew, who had abandoned ship, was airlifted off the life-raft in difficult conditions. After a check-up in Bangor hospital, they were released the same night.

Sixteen-year-old Jake Bowman-Davies, the youngest fully-qualified skipper in the British Isles, talked of his efforts to save the boat after she started taking on water on passage from Milford Haven to grounds off Conwy.

He told The Herald: “At ten o’ clock the bilge pumps suddenly started running flat out.  I put the auxiliary pumps on and called the coastguard, requesting assistance and pumps.  They told me to report the boat’s bearing and position every ten minutes, which we did.”

Skipper Bowman-Davies added: “I aimed the boat at land, so I could beach her as a last resort.  We started taking on water fifteen miles out, and we got within four miles of the coast before the helicopter turned up with the pumps.  They asked us to alter our course to 210 degrees so they could lower the equipment down to us.”

Sank: The Cesca

Sank: The Cesca

“By this point the engine had failed due to the leak, and the boat had reached the point of no recovery, so we told the helicopter crew that we were abandoning ship.’

Jake described jumping off the boat in the dark in force 8 winds as ‘the scariest moment of my life”

“It broke my heart to leave the Cesca.  She had been in the family since I was ten.  I did everything I could to save her, but at the end of the day the safety of the crew comes first,” he added.

The owner of the Cesca, Jake’s father Timothy Bowman-Davies, praised the Seafish Training scheme.  Both Jake and leading hand Nathan Edmundson (23) hold their 16.5 metre skippers’ tickets, and the other crew, Luke Lane and twenty-year-old Dai Crofts, have completed all their mandatory certification.

“What they learned on the Sea Survival Course definitely contributed to their safe recovery.  Without this training the outcome could have been disastrous,’ he said, before thanking the rescue services for their ‘speedy response and professionalism.’

‘I’m so relieved to have my son and crew home safely.  Without these institutions in place seamen of the United Kingdom would run a far greater risk,” he added.

The cause of the the Cesca’s sinking remains unknown.  However, Jake believes that the boat hit a submerged object in the water.  “The helicopter crew told me that they could see something sticking out of the side of the boat.  However, I don’t think we’ll ever know exactly what happened,” he said.

5 Comments

5 Comments

  1. Wullie B

    February 16, 2015 at 7:57 pm

    How can a 16 year old hold the Under 16.5 skippers ticket when it was a pre requisite to have TWO years full time experience at sea, how do I know this, I sat the ticket four years ago and it was the first thing we were asked was our sea time. Fair do\’s the lad had the qualification, but he didn\’t have the experience

  2. Elliott

    February 17, 2015 at 12:41 am

    As his father owned the boat he has probably been at sea for enough of the hours required, when I took my sea survival there was a young lad of 13 on the course going to work his fathers boat.

  3. Denise

    February 18, 2015 at 3:07 pm

    I represent Seafish and would like to clarify this point.

    Jake Bowman-Davies has completed all the required training for the Skipper’s Certificate(which is brilliant), but he is not eligible for a Seafish Under 16.5m Skipper’s Certificate until he can evidence a minimum two years’ experience as a full-time commercial fisherman (since leaving school). This effectively rules out anyone under 18 years of age.

    I can confirm that we have not issued Jake with a Seafish Under 16.5m Skipper’s Certificate.

    It is also worth pointing out that there is no (legal) requirement for skippers of commercial fishing vessels less than 16.5m to be qualified or have completed any training other than basic safety training. Whether this is right or not is another debate. Personally, we believe all Skipper’s should be fully qualified.

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    July 31, 2017 at 4:55 pm

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News

A40 closed after serious crash near Wolfscastle

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AIR AMBULANCE LANDS AT SCENE AS TRAFFIC DISRUPTED

THE A40 between Wolfscastle and Haverfordwest was closed in both directions on Friday afternoon (Apr 11) following a serious road traffic collision.

The crash, which was first reported at 12:10pm, prompted a significant emergency services response, including Dyfed-Powys Police and the Wales Air Ambulance, which was seen landing at the scene shortly after the incident.

AA Roadwatch confirmed that the road was shut in both directions, with slow-moving traffic and congestion reported in the surrounding area for several hours after the collision.

Police urged motorists to avoid the area and to seek alternative routes while emergency crews dealt with the incident.

At the time of writing, no official update has been given on the number of vehicles involved or whether there were any injuries. Dyfed-Powys Police have been approached for comment.

Traffic disruption remains ongoing, with live road maps showing long delays approaching Haverfordwest from the east.

More updates will follow as information becomes available.

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Crime

Police investigate alleged assault at Milford Haven property

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OFFICERS from Dyfed-Powys Police have been maintaining a presence at a property on Marble Hall Road, Milford Haven, as part of an ongoing investigation into an assault.

The Herald understands that the front door of the property has been boarded up with plywood, prompting concern and speculation from local residents.

A spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police said: “Officers have been undertaking scene preservation in relation to an investigation of assault.”

No further details have been released at this stage, and it is not yet known whether any arrests have been made.

Residents told The Herald they noticed police activity at the address earlier this week, with officers attending the property and cordoning off the area.

The Herald will provide further updates as more information becomes available.

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Business

Haverfordwest opticians celebrate 100 years of long service

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WALES’ LARGEST Specsavers store is celebrating a series of individual long service milestones, with nine team members collectively marking a century of long service in 2025.

At the heart of the celebrations is Andy Britton, ophthalmic director at Specsavers Haverfordwest, who has worked at the company for 20 years.

Since becoming a partner in 2006, Mr Britton has overseen the store’s transformation from a small site with just four test rooms to a state-of-the-art £1.2 million premises at 21 Riverside Quay. The enhanced store now boasts 14 test rooms equipped with cutting edge technology and a significantly larger team, growing from 11 to 45 employees.

Haverfordwest residents benefit from Mr Britton’s clinical expertise – he holds multiple postgraduate diplomas that allow him to prescribe medication directly to customers, helping to ease pressure on local GP surgeries and hospitals. He has also led the introduction of enhanced services, including glaucoma monitoring, ensuring more people can access specialist care closer to home.

Reflecting on his career, Mr Britton says: ‘It’s been a privilege to serve the Haverfordwest community over the last 20 years. I’m proud of the team we’ve built and the progress we’ve made – all with the aim of delivering the best possible care for our customers.’

Mr Britton’s anniversary was celebrated alongside colleagues Elise Evans, Gareth Riley and Carrie Lewis-Jones – each marking 15 years with Specsavers – as well as other team members celebrating 10 and five-year milestones.

Fellow director, Wayne Jones, was among those celebrating five years with the business, after joining the Haverfordwest store in 2020. He was named a finalist for Optometrist of the Year at the Optometry Wales Awards in 2023 and then in 2024, joined forces with Mr Britton as retail director of the store.

Commenting on the milestone, Mr Jones says: ‘Our team’s experience and dedication are what makes Specsavers Haverfordwest so special. Reaching 100 years of individual long service milestones in 2025 is something we’re incredibly proud of. It’s a real testament to the commitment of our colleagues, and we look forward to many more successful years ahead.’

To mark the occasion, the directors hosted an in-store awards ceremony, presenting certificates and bottles of champagne to the nine long-serving team members celebrating.

Specsavers Haverfordwest is open seven days a week. To find out more information about Specsavers in Haverfordwest, request an appointment or browse the online store, visit https://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/haverfordwest.

Additionally, to make eye health accessible to all, the store offers a Home Visits service for those unable to leave their homes unaccompanied due to disability or illness.

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