Beaumaris Lifeboat launched to assist numerous sailing dinghies in difficulties
The U.K Coastguard based at Holyhead received a number of reports of sailing dinghies being in difficulties on the Menai Strait. They therefore requested the RNLI Beaumaris lifeboat volunteers to launch 10.45 am on Sunday 6 August 2017 to assess the situation.
The volunteer crew of the Beaumaris Inshore Atlantic 85 Lifeboat Annette Mary Liddington launched the lifeboat at 10.55 am proceeding to the area of the incident in winds gusting in strength up to force seven.
It transpired that the boats had originally been participants in an offshore dinghy race from Beaumaris to Traeth Bychan near Moelfre. But due to the prevailing conditions this had been amended to a course between Beaumaris and Bangor Pier.
Once the race had begun the weather deteriorated rapidly and the race rescue boats had been very busy assisting various vessels. The lifeboat crew picked up one competitor from the water and assisted in righting a total of seven vessels .One of which had to be towed to a safer location before being righted.
In view of the prevailing adverse conditions the lifeboat remained at sea until all the dinghies had been recovered ashore at which time the volunteer lifeboat crew then felt able to return ashore themselves.
The lifeboat returned to Beaumaris lifeboat station arriving at 12.01 pm being refuelled and prepared for her next service by 12.35 pm.
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