At around 8pm on Thursday 4 September, the station’s all-weather lifeboat was on a training exercise when HM Coastguard tasked the crew to assist a broken-down yacht with a lone sailor on board near the diffusers buoy.
The call-out was also the station’s 80th service of the year — each one answered by volunteers who drop everything when their pager sounds.
On arrival, the yacht was being battered by swell and drifting dangerously. After assessing the situation, the crew decided the safest option was to tow the vessel to safety. Port Talbot RNLI’s inshore lifeboat assisted by transferring a Mumbles crew member onto the yacht to help establish the tow.
(Image: RNLI/Adam Gilbert)
(Image: RNLI/Adam Gilbert)
(Image: RNLI/Adam Gilbert)
With choppy seas and low water making it difficult to take the yacht up the shallow River Tawe into Swansea Marina, the decision was made to tow it to Mumbles moorings. There, the inshore lifeboat took over the tow at the SWIGG buoy and helped the sailor deploy the anchor so repairs could begin.
The yacht had lost all power, and the alarm was raised without using VHF radio — prompting a reminder from the RNLI of the importance of carrying a VHF set and having a secondary means of calling for help.
Lifeboat Operations Manager Tim Conway praised Deputy Coxswain Bolter’s milestone achievement:
“A thousand launches is an incredible achievement and a testament to James’ commitment to saving lives at sea. He has given countless hours to training, exercising, and turning out in all weathers. The whole station is proud of him reaching this milestone.”
The Mumbles lifeboat returned to station at 11pm, where it was refuelled and made ready for the next call.
