BARRY Dock RNLI’s new Shannon class lifeboat, the Richard and Caroline Colton II, attended its first call out recently.
At 7am on Wednesday, 19th June, the Richard and Caroline Colton II, was tasked by Milford Haven Coastguard, along with Barry Dock’s D-class inshore lifeboat and Coastguard Helicopter Rescue 187, to search for a swimmer reported to be in distress off the local headland of Nells Point. With the outgoing tide, the search pattern soon extended to five miles west, due to the strong currents of the Bristol Channel.
Launching the state-of-the-art £2.2m lifeboat with six volunteer crew members on board, Andy Gavan, Barry Dock RNLI’s full-time Coxswain, described the operation: “A person onshore reported the distressed swimmer but he/she was soon out of sight due to the fast flow of the outgoing tide.
“Coastguard teams onshore struggled to locate the casualty. With myself at the helm of the D-Class inshore lifeboat, we soon located three swimmers in the Old Harbour who had swum from Jackson’s Bay, a distance of nearly two miles. After further extensive searching it was confirmed with the Milford Haven Coastguard that the reported sighting would have been those swimmers. It was a call with a good intent.”
However, following the first call, the Richard and Caroline Colton II was immediately re-tasked to assist a second shout out for a yacht that had run aground off Llantwit Major beach.
Andy explained: “Spud Davies was the coxswain on-board our new Shannon and they were immediately re-tasked to the second shout. With the casualties on board safe and well and the yacht high and dry with an outgoing tide, no further action could be taken by the volunteer lifeboat crew, who returned to station. This was a great multi-agency tasking and the first two under the belt for Richard and Caroline Colton II.’
Ian Watts, a volunteer crew member for 17 years, was onboard during the first shout. He said: “I have been very fortunate to be involved in the first shout on the D-class and now the Shannon Class, as well as the last shout on the Trent class.
“During the last call out on the Trent there were lots of emotions running as we knew this was the last time she would be used as a fully capable search and rescue asset for Barry Dock.”
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