A MAN has died after going to the aid of a boy in the water at Borth y Gest.

It is understood they were father and son.

The 45-year-old man believed to be from the Manchester area was flown to Ysbyty Gwynedd, by the coastguard air ambulance, after the incident which happened on Monday afternoon.

The RNLI Criccieth Lifeboat and its volunteer crew was tasked to assist the coastguard, paramedics and police, and other emergency services.

Press Officer Ifer Gwyn said: "The Maritime and Coastguard Agency had received multiple calls about a person in the water at Borth Y Gest near Porthmadog.

"Conditions were good, and our volunteer crew was requested to launch the Doris Joan lifeboat to assist with the emergency, with the police paramedics, and coastguard air ambulance."

North Wales senior coroner Dewy Pritchard Jones confirmed that a post mortem would be held sometime this week to establish cause of death, at which time it would be decided if an inquest was necessary.

A spokesperson from the Maritime and Coastguard agency said: "Just after 4pm, on Monday, August 5, HM Coastguard received multiple 999 calls reporting a person in the water near Porthmadog.

"The Coastguard Rescue Team and the RNLI inshore lifeboat from Criccieth were sent, along with the HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Caernarfon, North Wales Police and the Ambulance Service.

"The person was recovered from the water by members of the public before being transferred by helicopter to Ysbyty Gwynedd hospital (Bangor)."