Burry Port – Burry Port RNLI lifeboat crew launched their inshore D class lifeboat at 7.09pm on Saturday 8 November 2025 after a small vessel was seen in trouble in the surf line at the entrance to Burry Port Harbour. The station’s Atlantic 85 The Misses Barrie had just launched on a separate tasking when shore crew spotted the craft in difficulty in front of the lifeboat station.

With the vessel apparently powerless and drifting beam-on to the waves, the remaining crew decided to self-launch the D class lifeboat Williams and Cole.

The lifeboat went out into challenging surf with Rob Davies as helm and Rhydian Bowen and Doug Humphries as crew. They arrived within minutes to find two people on board. The anchor had been deployed but was dragging in the conditions, and the boat was taking waves over the bow.

Helm Rob Davies explained that although the Coastguard usually tasks launches, the crew can self-launch if other information shows lives are in danger. Because they were already at the station for the Atlantic 85 launch, a crew was ready to go within minutes.

On scene, they judged it too dangerous to attempt a tow in the breaking surf and decided instead to evacuate both casualties onto the lifeboat.

Despite waves breaking over both boats, the two people were recovered safely and brought back to Burry Port Harbour, where shore crew met them and checked them over.

The vessel, which had reportedly lost its outboard engine after taking a wave over the stern, later washed up on rocks near the harbour slipway.

Davies said the self-launch was the right call once it was clear the boat was in real danger inside the surf zone and praised the quick actions of the volunteer crew. He also thanked the casualties for cooperating and leaving their vessel for the safety of the lifeboat, and reminded all boat users to plan trips, check weather and tides, tell someone their plans, inspect boats and safety gear, and call the Coastguard on VHF or 999 if they get into difficulty.

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