Donate now

Porthdinllaen RNLI lifeboat assists yacht in gas scare

Lifeboats News Release

Porthdinllaen RNLI lifeboat was launched to the aid of a yacht with a suspected gas leak on board.

Download image

Porthdinllaen RNLI lifeboat was launched to the aid of a yacht with a suspected gas leak on board.

The 40ft yacht Saragossa with two persons on board had sailed earlier from Porthdinllaen Bay and with the wind dying down her skipper decided to lower her sails and to start he engine up. While in the process of switching over to the engine the on board gas alarm was triggered.

Her skipper contacted Holyhead Coastguard and the Porthdinllaen RNLI all-weather Tamar class lifeboat the John D Spicer and her volunteer crew launched to assist at 9.36am on Saturday 30 July. 

Within quarter of an hour, the lifeboat was alongside the Saragossa at a position three miles north west of Porthdinllaen point.
 
The decision was taken to tow the yacht back to Porthdinllaen and place her on a safe mooring in the bay.
 
At 10.45am, with the yacht secured on a mooring, her two person crew were taken aboard the lifeboat and taken ashore. Although no immediate fault could be found, the Saragossa's skipper has arranged for a specialist engineer to check her over before continuing on her journey.
 
Captain Peter Jones, Deputy Launch Authority at Porthdinllaen RNLI, said: 'With a suspected gas leak on board the Saragossa's crew were unable to start her engine up as the spark from her electrics could have ignited any gas that may have leaked.
 
'They did the right thing and took all the safety measures possible after the alarm activated.'
 
Media contacts:
 
For more information lease contact Dylan Thomas, Porthdinllaen RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer, on 07747 600019 or Chris Cousens, RNLI Press Officer, Wales and West, on 07748 265496 or 01745 585162 or by email on [email protected]
Download image

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.

About the author

Dylan Thomas
Porthdinllaen Press Officer, Porthdinllaen Lifeboat Station

Categories