Mumbles Coastguard were called out, in what is now believed to be a hoax call, to investigate a call from the emergency phone on Three Cliffs Bay. They have taken to their Facebook page to express their "extreme disappointment" at the behaviour.
The Coastguard were paged at 4.53pm on Easter Saturday, April, 16 to investigate a call from the emergency phone at Three Cliffs Bay. The call from the phone box had been abruptly cut off and another call received from a phone box in the same area said that someone had fallen off a cliff and was in danger.
Upon arriving at the scene Mumbles Coastguard found the phone box damaged and out of service and after a large search from several dispatched services, nothing else was found. With no more information the callout was assumed to be a hoax call and all services stood down.
Mumbles Coastguard took to their Facebook page to say that the callout cost "thousands of both taxpayer and volunteer funds" and that it had taken up a lot of time on a day that was already busy for the coastguard, with this call out being the fourth call out of the day. They added:
"It has taken valuable resources away from important taskings, disrupted holiday makers, local businesses and the lives of our and our partner services families".
They also listed the other services involved in the call out which were, South Wales Police Swansea and Neath Port Talbot, MAWW Fire and Rescue, Oxwich Coastguard Rescue Team, Horton and Port Eynon Lifeboat RNLI, RNLI Lifeguards Swansea, Welsh Ambulance Services, and HM Coastguard South and West Wales.
Mumbles Coastguard went on to express their frustration in the time-wasting incident, they said: "We'd like to thank all those involved with this callout and again express our extreme disappointment in this behaviour."
The Labour MP for Gower, Tonia Antoniazzi, re-posted the Mumbles Coastguard post, calling the incident "never acceptable behaviour", she said: "Please treat them (the emergency services) with the respect they deserve so we can all be safe while enjoying our time with families and friends".
Recently a cave fall sparked a dramatic helicopter rescue in Gower where Mumbles, Rhossili, and Oxwich Coastguard teams were called to Minchin Hole, Pennard to rescue a casualty who was trapped in the cave. You can keep up to date with all Swansea news by signing up to the newsletter here.
