Inflatable dinghy blown miles off Welsh coast prompts major air, sea and land search

Wales Online

26-05-2025

Inflatable dinghy blown miles off Welsh coast prompts major air, sea and land search
Teams searched for hours for the three people on the tiny boat
The inflatable dinghy in the sea off the Welsh coast
(Image: RNLI/Callum Robinson )
A major air, sea, and land search was launched after an inflatable dinghy with three people on board was blown miles out to sea. The small boat had launched from the beach at Colwyn Bay on Sunday afternoon.
They group were carried off-shore by strong winds and quickly got into trouble. They were able to call 999 on a mobile and a search was launched in difficult conditions. Coastguard teams searched from the shore while RNLI boats were launched and a National Police Air Service plane took to the skies.
Contact was lost with the group for over an hour with increasing concerns for their safety. But they were able to regain contact and rescuers able to establish a location.
Assisted by the police plane, Rhyl Lifeboat located the inflatable nearly three miles north of Llanddulas, and four miles from where they set off. They were taken to shore and treated for cold.
The view from inside the vessel
(Image: RNLI/Callum Robinson )
A statement from 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.
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"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 an 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'."
The rescuers were praised but there was criticism online for the casualties,
One person said: "So lets all climb into a tiny inflatable boat with no engine, no oars, oh yes and lets not wear any floatation devices. Really."
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Another added: "Well done RNLI Rhyl members. Shame on you in the inflatable expecting others to come your aid! Stupidity beyond belief."