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Crew rescued as boat hits rocks | Crew rescued as boat hits rocks |
(30 minutes later) | |
A crew has been winched to safety by helicopter after a boat hit rocks off the coast of Anglesey. | A crew has been winched to safety by helicopter after a boat hit rocks off the coast of Anglesey. |
Holyhead Coastguard said all six crew are safe after abandoning the 105-tonne survey and training vessel off Skerries Rocks. | |
Initially, the crew were lifted off the Smit Cymyran onto rocks before being airlifted to a coastguard station. | |
A lifeboat is close by to monitor for pollution as the area to important for seabirds and there is a seal colony. | |
Despite filling up rapidly with water, the 90ft vessel was later refloated on the rising tide. | |
It is believed only one compartment has been breached and salvage pumps have been airlifted from RAF Valley to try to pump out the water. | |
Jim Paton, area watch manager for Holyhead Coastguard, said they received an emergency call from the Smit Cymyran around 1050 BST. | |
Flooding rapidly | Flooding rapidly |
The incident happened seven miles east of Skerries Lighthouse and two miles from Carmel Head. | |
The crew said they were abandoning her after she struck the rocks. | |
An all-weather lifeboat and a rescue helicopter from RAF Valley on Anglesey, were immediately sent to the Skerries, about two miles off Carmel Head and the scene of many shipwrecks in the past. | |
The boat is belived to have struck the East Platters, east of the Skerries. | |
Mr Paton said the crew had been in "extreme danger" . | |
"The Skerries is a notorious area for shpwrecks and they were very fortunate." | |
"The vessel was flooding rapidly and had developed a list of 30 degrees and was taking on a lot of water," he said. | "The vessel was flooding rapidly and had developed a list of 30 degrees and was taking on a lot of water," he said. |
Two salvage tugs are on their way to the sinking ship to assist. | Two salvage tugs are on their way to the sinking ship to assist. |
Mr Paton said they believed the oil tanks on the vessel had not been damaged, but a pollution team from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency were monitoring the situation. | Mr Paton said they believed the oil tanks on the vessel had not been damaged, but a pollution team from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency were monitoring the situation. |
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has also been asked to investigate. | |
The Smit Cymyran was on contract to the Ministry of Defence assisting RAF Valley helicopters in their search and rescue operations off the coast. | |
The boat was being used to collect RAF personnel who were taking part in a routine training exercise in which they are dropped into the sea from a Sea King helicopter. |