September 07, 2024 - 276 views
Llandudno's all-weather lifeboat, William F Yates, launched to assist a 7-metre day boat in distress about a mile north of Pigeon’s Cave, near the Great Orme yesterday afternoon.
The lifeboat crew successfully towed the stranded boat to a waiting pontoon in Conwy. However, during the return journey, as they navigated the Conwy channel, the crew spotted something unusual near the C10 buoy. On closer inspection, they discovered an upturned jet ski and its rider, who was clinging on to the watercraft and being swept out by the ebbing tide.
The lifeboat crew swiftly secured the jet ski and rescued the individual, who informed them that they had been in the water for 45 minutes and were unable to call for help.
Recognising the urgency of the situation, the crew requested assistance from Conwy's inshore lifeboat.
The Conwy Lifeboat volunteers took over towing the jet ski, freeing up Llandudno lifeboat to transport the casualty to shore as quickly as possible. The jet ski was later recovered at Beacons Jetty by its owner.
The William F Yates was officially stood down at 4.40pm, after ensuring that the casualty and jet ski were both safely recovered and handed over to the Llandudno Coastguard team who had attended the earlier incident.
The lifeboat returned to Llandudno’s North Shore by 5.18pm, where it was cleaned, refuelled, and made ready for future service.
Coxswain Graham Heritage reflected on the unpredictable nature of lifeboat missions: "It just goes to show you never truly know what you're heading into when the pager goes off. Anything can happen, and our crew must always be prepared for whatever comes their way."
