Police name dead yachtsman

Police name dead yachtsman

Mr Blanchfield was flown to hospital

A man who died after being hurled from his boat in rough seas off the Anglesey coast has been named by police as Melvin Blanchfield.

Mr Blanchfield lived on a yacht in Conwy marina and would have been 53 this week.

The tragedy happened near Dulas island in the Irish Sea off the east coast of the Anglesey on Saturday.

An inquest has been opened and adjourned on Mr Blanchfield, whose son lives in Spain

During the rescue, a member of the Moelfre lifeboat crew gave Mr Blanchfield the kiss of life while still in the water, as another crew member held him up.

He had been found face-down in the sea, and was pronounced dead on arrival at Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor.

After being knocked from the boat, a rescue effort began involving Mr Blanchfield's sailing companion, lifeboatmen and the crew of an RAF rescue helicopter from Valley airfield.

Trouble

A mayday call alerted the lifeboat from Moelfre, Anglesey, which was scrambled to the scene.

The lifeboat discovered Mr Blanchfield, who was not wearing a lifejacket.

He was then winched from the sea into the helicopter and taken to hospital.

Mr Blanchfield's yacht, Backarat, was later towed into Amlwch harbour.