Video shows moment three people miles out to sea on tiny boat are spotted
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This is the moment three people who were blown miles out to sea on an inflatable dinghy were rescued. The trio got into trouble on Sunday afternoon, after the small boat launched from Colwyn Bay.
A major air, sea and land search was launched, lasting hours, after the group were carried off-shore by strong winds. However they were able to call 999 on a mobile and a search was launched in difficult conditions.
A video taken aboard the Rhyl RNLI lifeboat showed crew members scanning for the stricken three, using binoculars, amid choppy conditions, before the rescue vessel pulls alongside after locating them.
Coastguard teams had searched from the shore, while RNLI boats were launched. A National Police Air Service plane also took to the skies to aid the search.
At one point contact was lost with the group for more than an hour as concerns increased for their safety. But they were able to regain contact and rescuers able to establish a location. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox
Assisted by the police plane, Rhyl Lifeboat located the inflatable nearly three miles north of Llanddulas, and four miles from where they set off.
(Image: RNLI/Callum Robinson)
Rhyl RNLI said: "Rhyl's volunteer lifeboat crew were paged at 2:35pm on Sunday (25 May) afternoon, after Holyhead Coastguard had received a 999 call from the casualties to say that they had launched from the West end of Colwyn Bay, in their inflatable boat but had now been blown offshore and could not get back to land.
"Rhyl's all-weather lifeboat launched at 3:05pm and proceeded to search from North of Rhyl towards Colwyn Bay. Coastguard Teams from Rhyl and Llandudno were also tasked to search from the shore. An hour and a half later, Holyhead Coastguard were able to get the location of the casualties after they were able to regain contact with them over the phone, with the casualties using Google Maps to give their latest latitude and longitude.
"Aided by an airplane from the National Police Air Service, Rhyl Lifeboat located the casualty vessel 2.7 miles North of Llanddulas, around 4 miles from where the casualties set off from. The three casualties were taken aboard the all-weather lifeboat and treated for cold.
"The lifeboat then returned them to land at the Rhyl Lifeboat Station, where they were met by officers from Rhyl and Llandudno Coastguard Teams, who gave safety advice by 6:15pm."
Paul Archer-Jones, duty Coxswain said: "This could have been quite a serious incident, the strong winds created some pretty difficult conditions for us to locate the casualty vessel. Luckily with the help of all the teams involved we were able to bring the casualties safely ashore.
"We always recommend if you are going to sea to take a means of calling for help, preferably a VHF radio, always wear a lifejacket or buoyancy aid, and check the weather forecast before heading out."
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