Three Welsh RNLI lifeboats in search for missing plane off Anglesey
Three North Wales’ RNLI lifeboats launched yesterday afternoon (25 November) to assist in the search for an aircraft last seen two miles north east of Penmon, Anglesey.
Beaumaris' Atlantic 85 lifeboat launched at 1.15pm and Moelfre’s Tamar class all-weather lifeboat launched at 1.20pm. The Llandudno volunteer crew were paged at 2.14pm and launched their Shannon class lifeboat to assist in the search.
The volunteer crews carried out an extensive search of an area around Penmon and were joined by Coastguard teams from Penmon and Bangor. The Coastguard helicopter was also scrambled.
All volunteer crews spent many hours conducting a detailed search, with Beaumaris RNLI crew first to return to station, followed by Llandudno’s Shannon just after 9.30pm. The Moelfre RNLI crew returned to station just after 10pm last night.
Tim James, who was Coxswain of Llandudno's Shannon class lifeboat during the search said:
'Once launched we were tasked to carry out a parallel track search pattern, similar to a grid of a large area mainly to the north of Puffin Island. To utilise all available daylight, this search was carried out at full power until the loss of daylight forced us to slow our speed to 15 knots.
'In 15 years of being on the crew it is the longest and most challenging search pattern that I have experienced and is a testament to the skill and professionalism of the volunteer crew that they were able to work for such a long period whilst undertaking such a technically difficult and important task.'
No request has yet been made to launch this morning, but the volunteer crews are ready to assist should they be required.
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For further information, please contact Danielle Rush, Media Relations Manager for Wales on 07786 668829.
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