LIFEBOAT bosses say services at Pwllheli station will return ‘as soon as realistically possible’ after more than half of the crew members agreed to come back to service.

The RNLI ceased service at the Pen Llŷn lifeboat station earlier this month following a breakdown in relationships between people at the station.

This meant it was no longer possible to sustain a safe and effective lifesaving service, so the RNLI made the difficult decision to reset operations at the station.

Since then, the RNLI says that 19 crew members have so far ‘reaffirmed their commitment to the RNLI and have expressed their desire to re-establish their volunteer relationships.’

Lifeboat bosses say this means the RNLI is in a good position to move forward, and has now launched a recruitment drive in the local community as part of its plans provide a sustainable lifeboat station at Pwllheli for many years to come.

Ryan Jennings, RNLI Regional Lifesaving Lead says: “Discussions with former crew members have been extremely positive and we are pleased to be welcoming back those who are aligned to our values and are committed to moving on from the recent difficulties.

“I am confident we can move forward with an inclusive and sustainable lifeboat station at Pwllheli for many years to come.

“It has been a challenging time at Pwllheli and I want to thank all those people who have spoken to us about both their concerns and their aspiration to get back to saving lives at sea.

“The crew are now keen to look to the future and refocus all their efforts on restarting the lifeboat service. We will be getting the crew back to training very soon and are committed to getting the D-class inshore lifeboat back on service as soon as realistically possible.

“We are now calling on the community to show the lifeboat station some support and help us move forward. There are several different volunteer roles available at Pwllheli Lifeboat Station and full training and support will be provided to those who wish to be part of the crew.’”

Anyone interested in joining the crew is invited to apply online.