Beaumaris and Trearddur Bay Lifeboats in late night search for boat aground

The Beaumaris Inshore Atlantic 85 Lifeboat Annette Mary Liddington with her volunteer crew launched at 8.20 pm and proceeded to the Caernarfon Bar it being reported that due to the weather conditions the casualty vessel was in danger of being damaged by the surf and that one of the adults aboard might need medical assistance.

Upon arrival in the area a search was undertaken but the lifeboat was unable to locate the other craft. It soon became apparent that the boat was not at the original location given.

Therefore at 8.54 pm the volunteer crew of the Treaddur Bay lifeboat received a request from the UK Coastguard at Holyhead to launch and assist with the search as it was believed that the casualty boat may now be in the Aberffraw area.

Unfortunately the vessel in distress did not have a working VHF aboard and all communication was by mobile phone thus the lifeboats could not track any VHF signals.

Whilst the vessel had a hand held flare this was not visible to the lifeboats. The Treaddur Bay lifeboat then fired a parachute flare and when this had extinguished the Beaumaris lifeboat then set off a parachute flare but neither was seen by the casualty.

A second flare was launched by the Treaddur Bay Lifeboat and this was seen by the crew on the casualty craft. The vessel now being located in Malltraeth Bay about 20 metres from the cliffs.

The Beaumaris lifeboat went alongside the casualty craft and placed a crew member aboard who ensured that the two children and four adults on the boat needed no medical attention. The Beaumaris lifeboat escorted by the Treaddur Bay Lifeboat then did an alongside tow out of Malltraeth Bay.

With a Beaumaris life boatman aboard the engine of the casualty vessel was restarted and the Beaumaris Lifeboat stayed with the craft to escort her back into the Menai Strait.

Meanwhile the Treaddur Bay lifeboat and her volunteer crew received instructions to return to station by the UK Coastguard.

The vessel was taken into Port Dinorwic marina being met by members of the Bangor Mobile Coastguard Rescue Team who assisted with securing the vessel and transported the crew of the casually craft back to their vehicles at Port Penrhyn.

Thus at 12.30 am the U.K. Coastguard released the Beaumaris Lifeboat to return to her station. The lifeboat arrived at Beaumaris at 12.45 am being washed down, refuelled and ready for her next services call by 1.22 am allowing the volunteers to return home.

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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.

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