Pembrokeshire Microlight Rescue
Prompt Multi-Agency Rescue Saves Two After Microlight Ditches Off Pembrokeshire Coast
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Key Points
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Survivors were spotted on the microlight’s wings by a coastguard helicopter and then recovered by Cardigan RNLI, after which they were transferred to New Quay lifeboat for further care before being brought ashore and handed to the Welsh Ambulance Service; they were later taken to hospital.
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A separate paddleboard incident in Cardigan Bay prompted Cardigan RNLI’s D-class lifeboat to be launched; extensive shoreline enquiries found no match and the D-class lifeboat was stood down.
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The rescue operation involved three RNLI lifeboats (Cardigan, New Quay and Fishguard) and a coastguard rescue helicopter, with the New Quay all-weather lifeboat (ALB) taking part in the response.
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Location reporting varied across outlets, with the ditching described as approximately 9 nautical miles northwest of Cardigan Island (Mirror) and around 10 miles northwest of Dinas Head (Cambrian News), or about 10 miles north of Cemaes Head (County Times/Milford Mercury), indicating some inconsistency in exact reference points.
Two people were pulled from the sea off the Pembrokeshire coast on Friday evening after their microlight aircraft ditched into the water about 10 miles northwest of Cemaes Head. A coastguard helicopter spotted them sitting on the wings of the partly submerged aircraft before Cardigan RNLI brought them safely aboard. BBC reported both were later taken to hospital after treatment for cold-water exposure.
HM Coastguard received the first report at around 18:02 BST. Three RNLI lifeboats — from Cardigan, New Quay, and Fishguard — were scrambled alongside the rescue helicopter. The operation was wrapped up within roughly two hours, with zero fatalities.
Helicopter Spots Pair Clinging to Submerged Wings
The microlight went down at around 18:00 BST with two people on board. A Mayday call was triggered almost immediately. HM Coastguard at Milford Haven coordinated the response, sending assets racing to a point roughly 9 to 10 nautical miles offshore. The coastguard helicopter arrived on scene first, around 18:50, and found both casualties sitting on the wings of the stricken aircraft — a survival tactic that keeps people out of the freezing water.
Cardigan RNLI's B-class lifeboat reached the aircraft at around 19:00 and pulled both people to safety. They were then moved to the larger New Quay Shannon-class all-weather lifeboat (ALB) — a bigger vessel with better medical equipment — for casualty care. BBC reported that HM Coastguard said the two were "located sitting on the wing of the microlight" when found. The New Quay ALB brought them ashore at New Quay pier at around 19:45, where the Welsh Ambulance Service took over.
Three Lifeboats Tackle Two Emergencies Simultaneously
While the plane rescue unfolded, a second alert came in. A paddleboard carrying two people was reported in difficulty in Cardigan Bay. Cardigan RNLI launched its D-class inshore lifeboat to investigate. Crews carried out extensive shoreline searches near Mwnt and Cardigan Island, including checks with local fishermen. No one matching the description was found.
The D-class was eventually stood down after the search found no sign of a real emergency. BBC noted that the paddleboard incident was resolved without any casualties. The fact that RNLI volunteers managed both incidents at the same time — the plane 10 miles offshore and the coastal paddleboard search — drew praise from the local community. One all-weather lifeboat, two inshore vessels, one helicopter, and one ambulance unit were all active within roughly the same two-hour window.
Stricken Aircraft Left Drifting, Shipping Warned
The microlight itself was not recovered. It remains at sea, drifting in Cardigan Bay — a Special Area of Conservation. HM Coastguard issued a safety broadcast to warn all nearby vessels of the wreckage, as Milford Mercury reported. Microlights typically carry between 40 and 80 liters of fuel, so the environmental risk is limited, but the sunken airframe does pose a hazard to navigation.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) is expected to lead the technical investigation into why the aircraft went down. Investigators will likely look at engine failure, fuel starvation, or atmospheric conditions. The aircraft was reported by aviation trackers to be possibly Irish-registered, which could suggest the pair were on a cross-channel flight rather than a local trip, though official sources have not confirmed this.
Survival Credited to Speed, Helicopter, and Staying on the Wing
Maritime safety experts say the pair were lucky the aircraft stayed buoyant long enough for help to arrive. A microlight wing gives rescuers a very small target to spot in open sea swell 10 miles from shore. The coastguard helicopter's ability to find them quickly — likely using thermal imaging or direct visual scanning — was almost certainly a key factor in keeping both people alive.
The "wing-sitting" technique the pair used is a taught emergency procedure for low-wing microlights. It keeps the body out of the water, slowing the onset of hypothermia. Cold water kills in minutes if a person is fully submerged. Being out of the water, even on a sinking wing, buys critical time. Both survivors were described as "safe and well" after treatment, according to BBC, though they were taken to hospital as a precaution.
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