The Volunteer crew of the Mumbles RNLI all weather lifeboat had a sprightly interruption to their Christmas preparations today when a huge search and rescue operation was initiated by the accidental trigger of a vessels distress alarm. Swansea Coastguard received the emergency ‘vessel in distress signal’ at 4.30 on Wednesday afternoon.
The crew of the Mumbles RNLI all weather lifeboat Babs and Agnes Robertson were deployed on a search pattern along with the Coastguard Rescue Team and Rescue Helicopter 169 from RAF Chivenor. After an hour of searching the alert was found to be from the owner of a vessel in Swansea Marina who had triggered the emergency alarm by accident.
Tim Conway the Lifeboat operations manager at The Mumbles said ’ I’m very impressed that even in the middle of winter our crew were able to launch within 15 minutes of getting the call. People can forget that our volunteer crew give their services come rain shine or snow. The fact that this was an unintentional accidental trigger of a vessel in distress call is neither here nor there it just highlights that when vessels are in trouble our crews are ready for action at any time including the coming Christmas period’.
