A FISHING boat with seven people aboard were helped by Lifeboat volunteers from two North Wales stations.

At roughly 1.40 pm on Saturday, September 11, the volunteer crew members of the Beaumaris team received a launch page from the UK Coastguard Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre at Holyhead relating to a report of a leisure fishing vessel in apparent difficulty.

About 10 minutes later, the Beaumaris Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat, ‘Annette Mary Liddington’, with her volunteer crew, launched and proceeded to the casualty.

It was initially reported that the fishing boat had a seized engine and was drifting towards Puffin Island, an uninhabited island off the eastern tip of Anglesey.

The lifeboat located the fishing boat with seven occupants aboard.

Once on the scene, which was north-east of Puffin Island, and having ensured all was well with the seven people aboard, an assessment was made by the helmsman as to the best course of action.

It was decided for safety reasons that the vessel should be towed back to the safety of the nearest mooring or berth and a tow was quickly established.

In view of the location of the vessel, it was felt that taking her into Deganwy Marina in Conwy would be the best option.

Consequently, the helmsman requested that the Conwy lifeboat be launched to meet them and take over the tow as they neared the river.

Conwy’s inshore lifeboat, ‘The May-Bob’, was requested to launch at 2.47pm by UK Coastguard to assist Beaumaris with bringing the casualty vessel into Deganwy Marina.

The volunteer crew of three assessed and made the decision to tow the vessel into Deganwy Marina from Beaumaris lifeboat – meaning the Beaumaris crew could return to the Menai Straits in case of another incident on a busy Saturday.

Following the service, the Conwy lifeboat arrived back on station and was recovered, refuelled and made ready for service by 3.25pm.