A small aircraft crash-landed in the sea off the Welsh coast on Friday evening, prompting a multi-agency rescue operation. Two people were found sitting on the wing of the microlight and were brought safely to shore.
Incident details
The incident occurred at around 6pm near Cardigan Island, an uninhabited nature reserve off the coast of Gwbert in south Wales, close to the Cliff Hotel and Spa. The microlight—a lightweight, fixed-wing or weight-shift aircraft—ditched into Cardigan Bay after encountering difficulties, according to the coastguard.
Rescuers located the two occupants on the wing of the aircraft at sea. They were recovered by a lifeboat and taken to shore, where they were handed over to the Welsh Ambulance Service.
Emergency response
Emergency services dispatched to the scene included a coastguard rescue helicopter, RNLI lifeboats from New Quay, Cardigan, and Fishguard, as well as ambulance crews. The coastguard confirmed that the two people were found sitting on the wing of the microlight and were not believed to be seriously injured.
A coastguard spokesman said: "We received a report at around 6pm on Friday of a microlight, with two people on board, that had ditched into the water approximately nine nautical miles north west of Cardigan Island, Pembrokeshire. A coastguard rescue helicopter, RNLI lifeboats from Fishguard, New Quay, and Cardigan, and the ambulance service were all sent. The two people were located sitting on the wing of the microlight. They were recovered by a lifeboat and taken to shore where they were passed into the care of the ambulance service."
Separate fatal crash in Devon
Earlier on Friday morning, a pilot died after a light aircraft crash near Dunkeswell Airfield in Devon. Emergency services, including police, firefighters, ambulance crews, and an air ambulance, responded to the incident reported at around 10am. The pilot, believed to be a woman in her 40s, was pronounced dead at the scene, Devon and Cornwall Police said.
Police stated they would continue to work with the Air Accidents Investigation Branch and urged the public not to speculate about the circumstances. Superintendent Jo Arundale said: "We recognise it is a very sad incident and we are appealing to the public not to speculate regarding the crash. Furthermore, we would like to ask anybody who may have relevant footage to get in touch with us and not to post it online. Our thoughts are with the friends and family of the person involved."
