
Search of the Menai Strait for survivors from a sunken motorboat.
Multiple 999 calls received by the U.K. Coastguard of a capsized vessel between the two bridges on the Menai Strait. At 1.34 pm on Saturday 5 September 2020 they requested that the volunteer crew members of the R N L I Beaumaris lifeboat launch.
The Beaumaris lifeboat Annette Mary Liddington was launched a 1.42 pm and made her way towards the incident. In addition to the lifeboat the following had also been tasked, Coastguard Rescue Helicopter and the Bangor Mobile Rescue Team.
By the time the lifeboat and the helicopter arrived it became clear from debris that the boat had sunk in a position south of the Britannia bridge near the training centre Indefatigable Further information obtained by the lifeboat crew from other craft at the scene indicated that the survivors had been rescued by a passing speedboat.
As it was unknown how many persons had been aboard the sunken vessel the helicopter continued to search the area whilst the lifeboat, went to Menai Bridge to obtain more information.
It transpired that the rescue vessel had taken three people and a dog ashore and then left the area. The lifeboat crew managed to speak to a survivor who confirmed that all aboard now accounted for.
One of the casualties had been trapped under the water and suffered a shoulder injury but was being attended to by a paramedic prior to transfer to the hospital.
In view of this information the U. K Coastguard released both lifeboat and the helicopter to return to their station at 2.23 pm the lifeboat being refuelled and prepared for her next service call by 3.30 pm.
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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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