'Ordeal' over crew's yacht rescue

The rescue happened west of the Great Orme, Llandudno

A lifeboat crew endured an "arduous ordeal" to rescue three men in difficulties on a yacht off Llandudno.

The 30ft vessel, en route from Liverpool to the Menai Straits, became stranded with engine problems in strong winds, three miles west of Great Orme.

The Llandudno lifeboat took three and a half hours to tow the yacht to shore.

No-one on the yacht, the Aquila, was harmed in the rescue but the lifeboat suffered minor damage and the crew were thrown around violently throughout.

It was the second major rescue off the north Wales coast in two days.

On Friday, three elderly yachtsmen from Lancashire were rescued after their catamaran broke in two, three miles off the Anglesey coast.

On Friday three yachtsmen were rescued off Anglesey

At Llandudno, the lifeboat was launched at around 0130 BST on Saturday, and despite the rough seas it managed to secure a tow-line to the Aquila which was stricken three miles west of Great Orme's Head.

Llandudno lifeboat spokesman Alan Sharp said it was probably the most ardours task the crew had undertaken for some time.

"Despite the rough seas, the RNLI crew managed to secure a tow line during this operation." said Mr Sharp.

"The lifeboat sustained some minor damage, but continued in service, and the yacht was eventually towed into the safety of Conwy.

"It was a particularly arduous service for the crew, with the lifeboat being thrown violently around for most of the three and half hours she was at sea.

Hand-held radio

"They were whipped out of their beds and put onto something that was being thrown around violently for most of time they were at sea.

In Friday's rescue, the yachtsmen managed to get aboard the 46ft yacht's life-raft off South Stack and contacted emergency services with a hand-held radio.

They were airlifted by a Sea King helicopter from RAF Valley, to Holyhead coastguard station. A lifeboat retrieved pieces of the yacht and towed the two halves of the vessel into Holyhead marina.