Tenby RNLI were part of a huge sea and air operation today in assisting the crew of a sinking trawler.

All-weather lifeboat the Haydn Miller was launched for a second time in the day, at 4.20 pm on Monday, April 24, following a mayday from a fishing vessel reporting they were taking on water 20 miles south west of Tenby.

As the crew of the casualty vessel prepared to deploy a liferaft, the volunteer crew of the Tenby lifeboat made best speed to the position, along with Angle RNLI, Coastguard rescue helicopter R924 from Newquay in Cornwall, an MOD Range safety vessel, and a survey ship that happened to be in the area.

With Angle lifeboat first on scene, they transferred two crew members, along with their salvage pump aboard the vessel to assist the crew in attempting to pump out the water.

Shortly afterwards, the crew reported that the boats own pumps were managing to lower the water levels, after the source of the leak had been located and repaired, so the rescue helicopter was stood down, along with the survey vessel.

Both Tenby and Angle lifeboats then stood-by until the skipper of the casualty vessel was happy that he could make his own way back to Ilfracombe.

Once they were happy that the vessel was no longer in danger and could make it’s own was back to harbour,

Angle lifeboat retrieved their crew and pump and then both lifeboats returned to their respective stations, with Tenby arriving back at 6.35 pm.