VESSEL AGROUND AT LLANDDULAS

At 8.15 last night Liverpool Coastguard received a distress call from the cargo ship ‘Carrier’ telling them they had run aground at Raynes Jetty, Llanddulas.

A strong gale was blowing and a five metre swell was reported. Because of the location of the grounding Holyhead Coastguard coordinated the rescue. All seven of the Polish crew were taken uninjured from the ship by two rescue helicopters (the first from RNAS Prestwick, the second from RAF Leconfield).

The A55 was closed to allow the rescue services safe access to the vessel. Coastguard Rescue teams from Rhyl and Llandudno offered assistance to the rescued crew whilst the RNLI lifeboats from Llandudno and Rhyl launched.

The vessel is now resting against concrete dolosse* blocks on the beach at Llanddulas, which runs adjacent to the A55. Coastguard Rescue Officers, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Ambulance and Police are currently on scene with the Highways Agency. Salvage and counter pollution experts will be on site in the morning.

-Ends-

Notes to Editors

  1. The ‘Carrier’ is a 82m general cargo ship. When it ran aground it was carrying a cargo of stones and 40,000 litres of fuel. It is registered in Antigua and Barbuda.
  2. A dolos (plural dolosse) is a concrete block in a complex geometric shape weighing up to 20 tons, used in great numbers to protect harbour walls from the erosive force of ocean waves

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