Angle lifeboat and helicopter rescue casualty off St Ann’s Head
The incident was logged at 15:03 when the Angle lifeboat was tasked to assist a casualty aboard a commercial fishing boat operating off the Pembrokeshire coast.
Angle RNLI lifeboat crew and a Coastguard rescue helicopter saved a fishing vessel crew member after a suspected cardiac episode 12 miles south‑west of St Ann’s Head on Monday afternoon.
The incident was logged at 15:03 when the Angle lifeboat was tasked to assist a casualty aboard a commercial fishing boat operating off the Pembrokeshire coast.
The fishing vessel, making its best speed back towards Milford Haven, was spotted around five miles off St Ann’s Head where the lifeboat launched and closed the distance.
Rendezvousing with the vessel, the lifeboat crew found the casualty conscious and breathing, but sea conditions made an immediate transfer unsafe.
Both vessels then altered course for the more sheltered waters of Mill Bay, a recognised safe haven for small‑craft operations in the area.
On reaching Mill Bay, the casualty was transferred onto the lifeboat where Angle crew members trained in casualty care began a thorough assessment.
Coastguard Rescue Helicopter R387, based at St Athan, was dispatched shortly after the lifeboat’s arrival and entered the scene within minutes.
Following the lifeboat crew’s initial evaluation, the decision was taken to deploy the helicopter’s winch‑paramedic to provide advanced medical support.
The paramedic was winched down onto the lifeboat, stabilised the patient and prepared him for hoist onto the aircraft.
The casualty was then lifted aboard the helicopter and flown to a hospital in Cardiff for further treatment.
With the patient safely en route, the Coastguard helicopter departed the scene and the lifeboat crew were stood down.
The Angle lifeboat returned to its home port and was back alongside, ready for further service, at 16:45.
The swift coordination between the RNLI crew and Coastguard assets highlights the effectiveness of joint maritime rescue protocols along the Welsh coastline.
Local authorities confirmed that no further assistance was required and that the operation concluded without incident.
This rescue adds to a series of recent maritime emergencies in the region, underscoring the ongoing importance of well‑trained volunteer crews and rapid aerial response capabilities.