Pics: Newquay Lifeboat Station and RNLI Fishguard
A major multi-agency rescue operation was launched last night after a microlight aircraft was forced to ditch into the sea approximately ten miles off the West Wales coast.
Two people had a miraculous escape after climbing onto the wings of the floating aircraft to await rescue in the freezing waters of Cardigan Bay.
Emergency Services Scrambled
The incident unfolded at approximately 6:06 PM on Friday, 26 June, when Milford Haven Coastguard received an emergency Mayday report indicating that a lightweight, fixed-wing microlight had gone down roughly ten miles north-west of Cemaes Head, near Cardigan Island.
A massive rescue effort was immediately coordinated, dispatching:
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RNLI Cardigan Lifeboat (B-class Atlantic 85)
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RNLI New Quay Lifeboat (Shannon-class All-Weather Lifeboat)
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RNLI Fishguard Lifeboat
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HM Coastguard Rescue Helicopter
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The Welsh Ambulance Service
Miraculous Survival on the Wing
The HM Coastguard helicopter was the first to spot the downed aircraft floating in the open sea. Crews observed two individuals wearing lifejackets perched precariously on top of the microlight’s wings as the plane took on water.
Cardigan RNLI’s Atlantic 85 coastal lifeboat arrived first on the scene to execute the immediate recovery. Using a throwbag, volunteer crew members successfully passed rescue lines to both casualties sequentially, pulling them safely away from the sinking structure and aboard the lifeboat.
“Both were extremely cold but very grateful to see the lifeboat,” a spokesperson for Cardigan RNLI reported. Crew members immediately issued foil blankets and balaclavas to combat acute cold-water exposure, performing an initial casualty assessment on board.
Transfer and Shore Care
As the rescue progressed, New Quay’s larger Shannon-class All-Weather Lifeboat (ALB) arrived at the scene. Due to the rough conditions and the casualties’ dropping core temperatures, a careful sea transfer was conducted to move both individuals to the enclosed cabin of the New Quay vessel for advanced casualty care.
The ALB proceeded at best speed to New Quay’s main pier, where the casualties were brought ashore and handed directly into the care of awaiting Welsh Ambulance Service paramedics before being transferred to hospital. Their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
Secondary Incident and Shipping Hazard
While the primary rescue operation was underway, Cardigan’s secondary D-class lifeboat was also launched following separate, concurrent reports of two paddleboarders believed to be in difficulty in the bay. Following extensive shoreline searches and consultations with local fishermen, no one matching the description was found, and the crew was stood down.
HM Coastguard and Milford Haven Coastguard are currently coordinating to monitor the position of the downed microlight aircraft, which remains floating at sea, to warn commercial and local shipping vessels in the area.
The emergency volunteer crews have been widely praised for their rapid coordination, turning what could have been a coastal tragedy into a highly successful dual-rescue operation.
