On Saturday 26th June, Penarth RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew joined various organizations to show their support at the National Armed Forces Day in Cardiff.
This was the second time Cardiff hosted the National Armed Forces Day, an annual opportunity for the nation to support for the men and women who make up the Armed Forces community: from currently serving troops to Service families, and from veterans to cadets.
During the event Penarth RNLI Lifeboat crew took part in a joint exercise to display their skills and training when saving lives at sea.
An estimated 50,00 people, from serving personnel, veterans and supporters attended the event in Cardiff Bay and were treated to various land, sea and air displays. To ‘kick off’ the flying and water displays, a SAR demo was carried out involving a Sea King ‘Helicopter 170’ from “A” Flight of 22 Squadron Chivenor and assisted by Penarth RNLI inshore lifeboat.
RNLI Crewman Jason Dunlop was acting as ‘casualty’, and following a below mast height fly past around the Inner Harbour of Cardiff Bay, he was winched out of the water by ‘Helicopter 170’. Helmsman Andrew Vye-Parminter and crewman Owain Davies then demonstrated winching underway to the massed crowds finished off with a helicopter / lifeboat formation fly past before the Sea King moved off to clear the skies for various RAF Fly pasts which included the Red Arrows.
