A man had to be rescued by helicopter from a small island after he and three other kayakers got into difficulty off the Pembrokeshire coast. The RNLI was alerted to a potentially major incident between Chapel Bay and Thorn Island, south of St Ishmael’s, on Saturday morning. Four kayakers had got into difficulty in the water and one had managed to swim to West Angle beach, while two others had been picked up by a passing fishing vessel.
However, a fourth person climbed a cliff in a desperate attempt to get to safety and was stranded 30 meters up from the sea on an island. A UK Coastguard helicopter was sent to the scene, and the man was winched from the island. RNLI crews recovered his kayak and belongings from the sea using an inflatable boat. The helicopter then landed in a field next to the shore, where the casualty was handed over to Coastguard rescue teams from St Govan’s and Tenby.
Meanwhile, RNLI Angle safely transferred the two casualties picked up by the fishing vessel to the Coastguard teams. It was a busy day for RNLI crews in the corner of Pembrokeshire, as they were called earlier to assist a nine-meter yacht suffering engine failure near St Ann’s Head, which had to be towed back to Milford Docks. Fortunately, nobody sustained serious injuries in either incident.
The man’s dramatic rescue serves as a reminder of the dangers that can arise while enjoying water activities along the Welsh coast. The quick response by RNLI and Coastguard teams ensured a successful outcome in this challenging situation, highlighting the importance of water safety and preparedness for all water enthusiasts.