Lone yachtsman rescued off the Llyn Penisula by Porthdinllaen RNLI Lifeboat
Porthdinllaen's All Weather Tamar Class Lifeboat was tasked on Sunday 21 July to the aid of a lone sailor in difficulties off the Llyn Peninsula.
The Volunteer Crew at Porthdinllaen were requested to launch by UK Coastguard at Holyhead at 1:00 PM to a stricken 29 foot yacht, with one person on board, between Maen Mellt and Braich Anelog. Further details were received en route to the casualty that the yacht was unable to make headway due to a fouled propeller, but was trying to maintain it's position. Despite the deteriorating conditions, the lifeboat was alongside the casualty within 30 minutes. The wind was now gusting South Westerly at 30 miles per hour, and with a 3 metre swell in the area a tow was successfully passed to the yacht with the lifeboat beginning the tow towards Porthdinllaen at 1:35 PM.
Due to the conditions, it took the RNLI Lifeboat over two hours to tow the vessel to Porthdinllaen, at 3.40 PM and within the calmer waters of Morfa Nefyn Bay, a member of the Lifeboat team was transferred to the yacht to assist the lone sailor to secure the yacht onto a mooring.
Ken Fitzpatrick, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Porthdinllaen added, 'The conditions were deteriorating fast and with the yacht having restricted manoeuvrability due to a suspected heavy fouling of its propeller, the safest option was to request for assistance. The crew did a remarkable job considering the conditions were trying at times'
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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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