CESCA SY4

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Cesca abandoned off Welsh coast

The crew of four of the "Cesca" was winched to safety from their sinking ship by Anglesey RAF rescuers on Feb 12, 2015. The fishing boat was quickly taking on water six miles south-west off Bardsey Island. When the fishermen reported the incident the boat’s pumps were coping but the crew soon realised that they would be safer abandoning their vessel into a liferaft as they waited for help to arrive. The ship had been underway up the Welsh coast from Milford Haven to Conwy. They phoned Holyhead Coastguard at 10.20 p.m. and were lifted out of a raft by a Seaking helicopter from RAF Valley. The Porthdinllaen RNLI volunteers were also requested by the Coastguard to launch the lifeboat "John D Spicer" to the fishing boat off Bardsey Island. The lifeboat crew launched the all-weather lifeboat in force 6-7 winds, quickly making their way through big swells and rough seas towards the sinking vessel. As the volunteers were making their way to the scene the fishing boat had drifted and was now two miles north of the small island. The RAF from Valley was also called to assist in the rescue and the fishermen were being winched to the rescue helicopter as Porthdinllaen lifeboat crew arrived on scene. The fishing boat had taken on too much water to be saved and Porthdinllaen RNLI volunteers stood by as a safety precaution as they waited for the fishing boat to sink. By 12:35 a.m. the fishing boat had sunk and the lifeboat crew made their way back to station, returning at 1:45 a.m.