PENARTH Coastguard was called out to three rescues in the space of 24 hours this week.

The volunteer crew were tasked to set up two helicopter landing sites on Wednesday night, as well as assisting in the rescue of fishing boat that had run aground on Thursday afternoon.

The crew were first called out at 7.24pm on Wednesday to set up, man and secure a Helicopter Landing Site (HLS) for the R125 (RAF Wattisham) arriving with a specialist team to prepare an infant for transfer to London.

A spokesman from the coastguard said: “R125 landed, then took off to refuel at Cardiff Airport, and our team conducted a local patrol until R125 returned to the HLS. After R125 returned to the HLS, our team assisted the Welsh Ambulance Service in the transfer of the equipment, specialist team and infant to the helicopter for forward transport to Great Ormond Street Hospital. Our team returned to the station at 11.46pm.”

A few hours later, at 2am, Penarth Coastguard were tasked to set up, man and secure another Helicopter Landing Site (HLS) for R169 coming in from West Wales with an injured fisherman.

The team were stood down at site as R169 diverted to Swansea. The team then returned to the station at 4am where they refueled ready for service.

Penarth Coastguard were then called out on Thursday afternoon (April 16), at 12.54pm, to a 17ft dory (fishing boat) with two people on board that had run aground near the Outer Wrach Channel and sheared its propeller.

The vessel was towed into the Cardiff Bay Barrage by Penarth Lifeboat Station and then towed to Channel View Leisure Centre by Harbour 5.

The Penarth Coastguard team helped land the vessel, take details and issue safety advice. All persons on board were safe and well, and the crew returned to station at 2.45pm ready for service.