A family of six were rescued from a yacht which became adrift in rough weather and ran aground off the Pembrokeshire coast.

Angle RNLI lifeboat crew launched at 12.47am last Friday, 2 April, following a Mayday call from the 11-metre yacht.

Upon arrival at scene at Lindsway Bay, the lifeboat crew found the yacht aground with its anchor out, in the surf line with six people on board.

The All Weather Lifebat (ALB) was unable to get close enough due to the shallow water so the Y Boat was launched and maneuvered alongside the yacht in up to 2.4 metre breaking swell to evacuate the two adults and four children on board.

After several attempts, and often being swamped by the waves, the Y Boat made four successful transfers of the casualties onto the ALB.

The casualties, who were ‘wet, cold and shaken by their ordeal’, were taken to Milford Haven Port Authority (MHPA) Jetty where they were helped by awaiting auxiliary coastguards.

With the yacht’s crew safe ashore the ALB went back to the scene, with the skipper on board, to liaise with the inshore lifeboat (ILB) in an attempt to tow the yacht to safety but due to the sea conditions no attempt was made.

The ILB returned to station whilst the ALB landed the skipper ashore at the MHPA before returning to station at 2.47am.