Two rescued as aircraft crash-lands in sea off Welsh coast

Two people were rescued after a microlight aircraft crash-landed in the sea off the Welsh coast on Friday evening, prompting a major emergency response involving coastguard, lifeboat and ambulance services.

The incident took place near Cardigan Island, an uninhabited nature reserve situated off the coast of Gwbert in Ceredigion. The island lies close to the Cliff Hotel and Spa and overlooks part of Cardigan Bay, where the aircraft experienced difficulties before being forced to ditch into the water.

Emergency services said the microlight, a lightweight fixed-wing aircraft, came down at approximately 6pm. Two people were on board at the time. When rescue teams reached the scene, both occupants were found sitting on the wing of the aircraft while awaiting assistance.

A spokesman for the coastguard 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.”

The report triggered an immediate multi-agency response. A coastguard rescue helicopter was dispatched alongside RNLI lifeboats from Fishguard, New Quay and Cardigan. Ambulance crews were also mobilised to assist with the operation and provide medical support if required.

Rescuers worked quickly to reach the aircraft and recover the two occupants from the water. The coordinated effort involved assets from across the region, reflecting the potential risks associated with an aircraft incident at sea.

Both individuals were successfully rescued and brought to safety. The circumstances that led to the microlight being forced to ditch remain unclear, and further investigations are expected to establish what difficulties the aircraft encountered before the emergency landing.

The incident highlighted the effectiveness of the emergency response network operating around the Welsh coastline. Coastguard, RNLI and ambulance personnel were able to coordinate rapidly, ensuring the two people on board were located and recovered safely following the crash-landing in Cardigan Bay.