Microlight: Being recovered this morning (Mar 10) (pic. Alastair Pollard)

A MICROLIGHT aircraft crashed into the River Cleddau yesterday evening (Mar 9), however there were no serious injuries as the pilot luckily escaped the aircraft and reached the shore.

Angle RNLI said on their Facebook page: “The ALB launched at 17:54 to reports of a Microlight aircraft that had crashed into the water, off Rudders Boatyard, Burton.

“Also responding to this incident was a local Range Safety vessel, Dyfed-Powys Police, Ambulance, Coastguard Rescue Officers and two leisure craft.

“Whilst arriving on scene, we were informed that the single occupant had swum to the shore adjacent to Burton and transferred to Rudders Boatyard by a local RIB.

“The Y Boat was launched and two crew went ashore to gather more information whilst the paramedics were assessing the casualty. As no assistance was needed ashore, the Y Boat searched the shoreline whilst the ALB searched the main channel for any debris.

“With no sightings, the Y Boat was recovered and the ALB returned to station at 19:20.”

Back on dry land: The aircraft back on the shore (pic. Alastair Pollard)

A spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police said: “Police were called at approximately 5.50pm on Thursday 9th March 2007 to a report of a microlight having entered the River Cleddau in the Burton area of Milford Haven.

“The man had already left the water on police arrival. The AAIB has been informed.”

Alastair Pollard of Rudders Boatyard was involved in the rescue of the pilot.

He told The Herald: “At 5:42pm, Keith Allen who lives by the river at Jenkins Point and has one of the moorings that we maintain for him, called to ask if I had just seen the microlight crash into the Haven, just below the overhead power lines.

“I said that I had not as I was just finishing off some repairs in our boatshed. He explained what had just happened and I said I would immediately launch our inflatable boat and see if I could help the pilot.

“As I made for our boat another customer of ours, Jamie Boha who has a yacht wintered ashore here was standing on the hammerhead, already in contact with the coastguard via his mobile. He said he saw the microlight hit the water and flip over at least once as it went in.

“Miraculously the pilot still looked to be afloat although by now there was no sign of the microlight. While launching our rescue boat from the pontoon I relayed my mobile number to the coastguard so we could keep in touch. Fortunately, I reached the pilot just as he was already pulling himself out the water on the other side of the Milford Haven waterway just opposite our boatyard and moorings.

“Although clearly shaken from the impact, the pilot had the wherewithal to be able to pull one of his gloves off after he went down in order to release his buckle and swim free. The microlight had then started to sink so the pilot had sensibly ditched his aircraft & helmet and made a swim for the shore, albeit in a heavy flying suit with lots of warm but heavy clothing underneath.

Pulled out: The microlight was visible this morning (Mar 10) (pic. Alastair Pollard)

“Fortunately the pilot was clearly a competent swimmer and although he had probably been in the water and swimming for the shore in these cold tidal winter waters for about 15 minutes, he had made it.

“He was just clambering ashore as I reached him, slightly hypothermic & soaked to the skin, but still in good humour and pleased to be alive. It seems the setting sun had blinded him and he had desperately wanted to avoid the power lines. Fortuitously we have just had nice new ‘monsoon showers’ installed at Rudders so I was able to get him aboard and race him back to our boatyard to get him warmed back up.

“In the meantime, I have to say all credit has to go to our Coastguard, Police, RNLI & Port Authority services who really seem to be able to respond well in such a situation. I was fortunate enough to have been alerted by various friends and customers and be right on the spot when all this happened but just as I was bringing the pilot back to warm him up at our place, the coastguard / range vessel arrived, closely followed by a leisure boat that had also presumably responded to a CH16 emergency, the Police Boat and the Port Authority boat – all within literally minutes of one another.

“It was truly reassuring to know what everyone is capable of around here when we truly need them!”

“As the pilot was warming himself back up under the shower, the coastguard, medic,  police, coastguard services, ambulance and relatives all also arrived at Rudders by road.

“Once checked out, warm, dry and wearing some of my clothes I had lent him, the pilot was then taken into the ambulance and then off for further checks at the hospital.”