A STRICKEN trawler was towed to safety in a six-hour mercy mission involving angle lifeboat late on Sunday night.
Shortly after 10pm on Sunday, February 23, Angle volunteer lifeboat crew were requested to launch by Milford Haven Coastguard, to provide safety cover while a tug connected a tow to a disabled fishing vessel six miles from St Ann’s Head.
The 35-metre beam trawler had suffered gearbox problems while working off Trevose Head, Cornwall, and had been towed towards Milford Haven by another fishing vessel.
The lifeboat arrived on scene 30 minutes later, with the tug standing by.
The tow was passed to the trawler, but shortly afterwards the tug experienced issues, so the lifeboat rigged a tow to Milford Haven.
With wind speeds of up to 30 knots and three metre seas, the tow was slow, arriving off Milford Shelf at 1.45am on Monday.
Once off Milford Shelf, the tow was passed over to a commercial tug, which towed the trawler up to the Port of Pembroke.
With no further assistance required, the lifeboat was released and returned to station at 2.25am.
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