Conwy family thank rescuers after yacht is lost in dramatic fire
A family from Rhos on Sea were plucked to safety at the weekend, after their recently restored yacht went up in flames. Conwy RNLI stood by and provided safety cover during the multi-agency rescue off Conwy Quay on Saturday.
Now the family are encouraging others to make safety a priority when using the sea and want to thank everyone who responded when they Mayday call was issued.
The skipper, who wishes to remain anonymous said:
'We couldn't have been more prepared for this trip. The yacht was our prized possession having been lovingly restored and very well equipped. We have drills, safety briefings and never ever expected anything like this to happen. Luckily we all knew exactly what to do.
'It doesn't bear thinking about what could have happened if we'd not been so prepared. We were all astounded at how quickly the fire took hold and I'm sure seeing this has shaken up the local sailing community. You just don't expect this to happen, so I'd urge anyone thinking of heading out to sea to prepare for every eventuality.'
The family were travelling with a flotilla of other vessels from the North Wales Cruising Club where they are members and have nothing but praise for members who were first on scene.
Conwy RNLI volunteer crew were paged at 1.37pm to launch and assist the yacht which was on passage outbound from Conwy Marina.
Conwy inshore RNLI lifeboat stood by, monitored the situation and updated UK Coastguard with developments.
Multiple agencies gathered on Conwy Quay offering assistance including HM Coastguard, Llandudno Coastguard Rescue Team, North Wales Police and North Wales Fire and Rescue Service.
The skipper adds:
'Everything happened so quickly, our attempts to extinguish the flames were futile but we were quickly taken to safety and just had to watch as our dream project went up in smoke. We had spent every weekend making sure the boat was maintained and prepared and although it's very sad, we're still here and that's the most important thing.
'Everyone who attended and helped out was magnificent and without them the outcome come have been quite different.'
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For further information contact Danielle Rush, RNLI Regional Media Manager in Wales on 07786668829.
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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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