Two people and a dog cut off by the tide were at the centre of a tricky rescue operation in Tenby yesterday afternoon.
Tenby’s RNLI inshore lifeboat, coastguards and a coastguard helicopter were involved in the mission to get the trio to safety.
The swell of the high tide, breaking waves and the risk of falling rocks compounded the difficulty of the rescue, which took place on the rocks below St Julian Street, between the Castle and Paragon beaches.
The lifeboat was launched shortly before 1pm and quickly found the couple and their pet in the vicinity of East Rock House.
Because the swell made it unsafe for then to be reached from the sea, the lifeboat stood off and provided safety cover while a coastguard rescue helicopter was called.
Coastguards carried out a rope rescue. (Image: Tenby RNLI)
Tenby RNLI’s press officer Ben James said: “Tenby Coastguard Rescue Team was soon on scene, along with a member of the lifeboat crew, who had kitted up in a drysuit as waves were beginning to break very close to where the people were cut off.
The couple and their dog were reassured by their rescuers. (Image: Tenby RNLI) “Both the coastguard and lifeboat crew member made their way across the rocks to the casualties, where they reassured and checked them over to make sure no medical assistance was required, before moving them higher up the rocks and further away from the breaking waves.
A short while later, the helicopter arrived, but with the strong downwash in such an enclosed area, it was deemed unsafe to perform a winch rescue, due to the risk of falling rocks.
Coastguard de-brief on another job well done. (Image: Gareth Davies Photography)
“With all other options exhausted, a rope rescue was decided upon and the casualties were carefully brought across the rocks, to an area where they could use the steps to get to the safety of the garden of a house above.
“With the couple and their dog now out of danger, all units stood down and returned to station.”