Sailing dinghies capsize 'at same time' leaving young girl in desperate position
A member of the public saw the drama unfolding and they were to play a key role in the rescue operation. The young girl had been thrown into the water and separated from the dinghy, which was drifting further out to sea with her frantic mother on board.
Having swallowed sea water, the youngster clung on desperately to a red buoy. Another sailing dinghy was also overturned in winds gusting up to 35 knots. The occupants made it safely back to shore, managing to beach their vessel.
With the girl still holding on to a buoy, a Mayday message was issued. Responding were RNLI Moelfre inshore lifeboat and the Moelfre Coastguard Rescue Team (CRT). By the time they arrived, a jet ski rider had already plucked her to safety.
After witnessing the incident, he was 'quick to think and act', launching his jet ski from David's Caravan Park, where he was a resident. Having retrieved both the girl and her mother, he took them back to shore along with their dinghy.
RNLI Moelfre said the man played a 'crucial role' in the rescue after spotting the girl in the water. Having been returned to the shore, the pair were passed into the care of Moelfre CRT officers, who took the girl to Traeth Coch Sailing Club to dry off and warm up. Join the North Wales Live Whatsapp community now
A Coastguard spokesperson said: 'One young casualty was in a state of shock after ingesting sea water. After observation, the young person was handed into the care of their family, who took them to hospital as a precaution. The second casualty was uninjured and required no further assistance.
'It appears strong offshore gusts had caused both boats to capsize at the same time. While the rescue boat responded to one, a good Samaritan on a jet ski helped the others – fantastic teamwork all round.'
Having established all dinghy occupants were now safe, the inshore lifeboat returned to Moelfre. En route, they reported seeing several kayaks on the water, so Moelfre CRT officers headed north to carry out 'welfare checks' at Traeth Benllech and Traeth Bychan.
At the latter, children were spotted on an inflatable paddleboard. On this occasion, however, they were safely secured to a buoy and all wearing personal flotation devices under the watchful eye of their parents. The coastguard team said they were 'happy to see best practices being followed'.
The rescue took place around 2.45pm on Saturday, May 31. It wasn't until 5.27pm that the coastguard team were finally stood down. Get the best island stories from our Anglesey newsletter - sent every Friday
Gaz Owen, RNLI Moelfre ILB helm, said: 'This incident underscores the critical importance of checking the conditions to ensure they are safe and suitable before heading out on your chosen craft or activity.
'Offshore winds can prove challenging to the most experienced surfboarders and kayakers. Safety checks are not just a formality, they are a crucial part of water safety.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
North Wales Chronicle
2 days ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Anglesey sailor forced to abandon sunken yacht is rescued
Chris Cowlard's boat was smashed by the conditions at the Skerries, a group of islets off Anglesey famous for its lighthouse and sea birds. His eight-metre vessel was soon dismasted, forcing Chris to abandon ship in his lifejacket and wait in the waves for rescue. Luckily, his emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) broadcast his location automatically as soon as it entered the water - he had only purchased the device three weeks before the incident. Within 30 minutes, Mr Cowlard was pulled from the sea by the RNLI's inshore lifeboat from Holyhead, who were directed there by HM Coastguard officers based at Holyhead Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre. A spokesperson for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: "Being prepared increases the chances of survival in the event of a man overboard situation. "Always wear a personal flotation device (PFD) and carry a registered beacon. "In an emergency at sea send a Mayday distress alert on Channel 16, or call 999 and ask for the Coastguard."
BBC News
23-07-2025
- BBC News
Donegal: Three people rescued from sinking fishing vessel
Three people have been rescued after their fishing vessel began taking on water off the coast of County Donegal in the Republic of before 8:00 local time on Wednesday, a mayday call was received by Malin Head coastguard, the Department of Transport has said.A nearby fishing vessel responded to the distress call near Glengad and successfully rescued all three individuals from the stricken coastguard, the Sligo-based coastguard helicopter rescue 118 and the Lough Swilly RNLI were all dispatched to the scene. In a post on social media, Lough Swilly RNLI said the vessel had already sunk its three crew had been recovered from a life raft by a nearby fishing were then transferred to the Greencastle coastguard boat and brought to Bunagee Pier, where they were assessed by an ambulance crew.
North Wales Live
19-07-2025
- North Wales Live
Shirtless paddleboarders off Anglesey beach spark alert due to off-shore winds
A group of under-equipped paddleboarders sparked an alert off the coast of Anglesey. The men were struggling in off-shore winds at Traeth Benllech. This saw the Coastguard alerted who scrambled a team and paged the Moelfre RNLI station. They responded with their inshore boat in the incident at around 2pm on Thursday afternoon. A spokesperson for Moelfre RNLI said: "RNLI Moelfre volunteers, launched our Inshore lifeboat (ILB) after being tasked by H.M. Coastguard. The task was to assist paddleboarders who were struggling in the offshore wind at Traeth Benllech. "Also tasked were our colleagues at the Moelfre Coastguard Rescue Team (CRT). Upon arrival, the RNLI crew successfully rescued one of the paddlers, who was then safely transported to Benllech to be met by the CRT. "The remaining four paddleboards were shadowed by our ILB as they made their own way back to the beach under the watchful eye of the Coastguard team, demonstrating the effective collaboration between RNLI and Coastguard in ensuring the safety of the paddleboarders. "None of the paddleboarders were wearing personal protective equipment (PPE). The RNLI crew and the Coastguard team on the beach promptly provided comprehensive safety advice to the paddleboarders, ensuring they were fully aware of the potential risks and equipped with the knowledge to mitigate them in the future." Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox Moelfre Coastguard Rescue team said: "The team were tasked following reports of paddleboarders struggling to make headway off Traeth Benllech . We were supported by our colleagues at RNLI Moelfre , who launched their Inshore Lifeboat (ILB) on service. "On arrival, three paddleboards with five persons onboard were observed making their way towards St David's. Two Coastguard Rescue Officers (CROs) were dispatched to meet them on the beach, while two others were sent to the Traeth Bychan side to check on a solo paddleboarder who also appeared to be struggling. "With the group of three boards safely landed at St David's, the ILB returned back towards Traeth Bychan and Traeth Lligwy for a precautionary sweep of the area. "At St David's, our team were able to provide safety advice to the five individuals, none of whom were wearing lifejackets or PFDs , although they did have a phone in a waterproof pouch for communication. They explained they had checked the weather before launching but wisely chose to return to shore as conditions changed. "Meanwhile, the second CRO team located the solo paddleboarder who had taken shelter ashore to rest. With the offshore breeze increasing and the individual appearing tired — and again, not wearing a lifejacket — the ILB made the decision to recover them safely.
