Porthdinllaen and Holyhead RNLI lifeboats assist stricken trawler
Porthdinllaen and Holyhead RNLI all-weather lifeboats were launched on Tuesday evening (30 May) after the UK Coastguard had received a call from assistance from a trawler in Caernarfon Bay.
The 16m fishing vessel, called the Atlanta 2, with a crew of four on board, had been fishing in Caernarfon Bay when she lost all propulsion while raising her fishing gear.
It became apparent to the fishing boat`s crew that her propeller had been fouled leaving her stranded.
Porthdinllaen RNLI’s Tamar class lifeboat the John D Spicer and her volunteer crew were tasked to assist at 5.15pm and were alongside the craft within half an hour at a position seven and half miles West of Dinas Dinlle.
A tow line was passed over to the fishing boat`s crew and secured, with the lifeboat beginning the tow towards Holyhead 15 minutes after arriving on scene.
At 7.20PM, at a position four miles South of Rhosneigr, the tow was successfully passed over to Holyhead RNLI lifeboat, whose volunteer crew had been paged to launch at 6pm.
The Holyhead lifeboat successfully towed the trawler back to Holyhead Marina, where a safe dive could be undertaken to free the fishing nets which had fouled the propellers.
Both lifeboats returned to station and was refuelled and made ready for service.
Ken Fitzpatrick, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Porthdinllaen RNLI, said: 'The fishing boat crew made every effort to free the fouled propeller but were left with no option but to call for assistance and, as always, we were glad to be of assistance.’
Notes to editors:
The attached pictures show
- Holyhead RNLI lifeboat en route to take over the tow of the stricken fishing boat from Porthdinllaen RNLI. Credit Michael Thomas
- The fishing boat in tow. Credit
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For more information contacts Dylan Thomas, Porthdinllaen RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer, on 07747 600019 or [email protected], Vicki Owens, Holyhead RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer, on 07531 681409 or [email protected].
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