Llandudno Lifeboat launches to conduct a medivac from the Irish Sea
Llandudno’s all-weather lifeboat William F Yates was launched at 10.08am on Thursday (20th July 2023).
The launch was requested by HMCG Holyhead to evacuate a member of crew who required urgent hospital treatment from aboard a drill ship conducting drilling and sampling operations.
The one hundred and three metre, 11,751-ton Drill Ship Fugro Synergy was located in the Irish Sea approx. twenty-five nautical miles north of Llandudno.
The volunteer crew of six were on scene within an hour to begin executing the safe evacuation of the casualty from the drill ship to the lifeboat.
The Coxswain Graham Heritage was then advised by HMCG to return to station where the casualty could be transferred to an ambulance for further treatment at Ysbyty Gwynedd Bangor. The lifeboat was recovered by the volunteer shore crew at 12. 24 pm to be washed down and prepared for the next launch.
Coxswain Graham described how the evacuation was executed; ‘these are scenarios which we train for week in week out. We manoeuvred to get alongside the vessel and with a harness the casualty was able to be taken on board using the Pilot Ladder, all of the crew performed their duties exceptionally well to ensure everything went to plan.’
For more information, please contact Jonathan Coe, Llandudno Lifeboat Press Officer on 07910 861193. Alternatively contact Eleri Roberts, RNLI Media Officer on 01745 585162 / 07771 9413
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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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