Llandudno lifeboat rapid launch brings fishing vessel to safety
Llandudno lifeboat rapid launch brings fishing vessel to safety
Lifeboats News Release
Llandudno’s all weather lifeboat (ALB) crew launched on Saturday 29 November after being paged at 3:40pm to assist a fishing vessel that had lost engine power less than a mile north of the Great Orme.
RNLI/Luke Heritage
Crew letting out the tow with vessel in heavy conditions.
Conditions were already poor and deteriorating quickly due to an unexpected shift in wind direction. Although the crew of the fishing vessel had managed to set their anchor, the vessel was holding in a precarious position close to a lee shore.
The lifeboat launched soon after the page with six RNLI crew members on board, heading out through a strong onshore breeze and heavy surf. The ALB arrived on scene within ten minutes of launch, reaching the vessel just as its anchor began to drag and the vessel drifted closer to the cliffs of the Great Orme. Duty Coxswain Luke Heritage assessed that an immediate tow offered the safest option. The crew worked swiftly to rig and pass a towline, securing the vessel under tow soon after.
Given the state of the sea and the weather, the decision was made to head for the relative shelter of the Menai Strait rather than risk the exposed and narrow approach channel to Conwy.
The journey to the Strait proved demanding, with beam seas and a strong northerly breeze gusting near gale force at times. Once inside the Strait, Port Penrhyn was identified as the safest location to take the casualty vessel. Beaumaris Lifeboat was initially tasked to assist with an alongside tow based on the expected conditions in the Strait. However, favourable conditions allowed Llandudno Lifeboat to safely manage the alongside tow itself. Beaumaris then guided the approach through safe water, ensuring a smooth entry for both vessels. Penmon Coastguards were waiting on the outer wall of the dock, where they took the casualty vessel's lines.
Llandudno Lifeboat was back on the beach at 9:20pm. The shore crew recovered the boat with skill despite the wet and windy conditions. The crew finally left the lifeboat station shortly before 11pm.
Duty Launch Authority Alun Pari Huws said, ‘I had no hesitation in authorising the launch of the all weather lifeboat given the circumstances. The casualty vessel had suffered engine failure in a particularly hazardous location with strong onshore winds and heavy swell. The skipper, an experienced seaman and commercial fisherman, made the correct decision to call for help as soon as the problem arose. The Coxswain, crew, lifeboat and shore team all performed exceptionally well in demanding conditions, and everyone was pleased that both the vessel and those aboard were brought to safety.’
The RNLI is the charity that 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 146,700 lives.
