The lifeboat was called out by Holyhead Coastguard at 10.53 p.m. following reports that a person could be seen struggling in the sea off the site of the now-demolished Colwyn Bay pier.
Whilst the lifeboat and her crew was en route to the scene by road shortly afterwards Llandudno's RNLI Deputy Launching Authority joined police on the beach at Colwyn Bay and ascertained by torchlight that the woman was clinging to a marker post in the sea some 100 metres offshore.
On launching from Rhos-on-Sea nearby, the lifeboat made directly for the woman, who was immediately recovered into the lifeboat, where she was found to be limp, exhausted and hypothermic; she clearly could not have held on to the post for much longer. Quickly covering her with a blanket, the crew at once landed her onto the beach, where police personnel wrapped her in a thermal blanket. A short while later the Coastguard team on scene transferred her to a waiting ambulance for further medical attention.
The lifeboat was later recovered at Porth Eirias, returned to Llandudno by road, and by just after midnight was ready for further service.
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.
