Press Notice No: duty 1
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Posted 00:35 GMT

Storms lashing the West Coast have damaged approximately 50 boats at Abersoch in Wales and 30 worried boat owners were persuaded to come out of the breaking surf for their own safety tonight by Coastguard Teams.

At 10.15pm Holyhead Coastguard received a 999 call from the Abersoch Yacht club, reporting that they were witnessing a large number of people in the breaking surf on the main beach trying to retrieve boats and trailers which had come adrift. Other people were reported to be trying to get them out of the water.
Abersoch Coastguard Rescue Team attended the scene for several hours tonight and encouraged between 30 and 40 people to come out of the water for their own safety as weather conditions continue to be very rough seas with South Westerly winds of force 7-8. There appear to be approximately 50 damaged boats and trailers at Abersoch this evening.


Posted By: Julia Gosling

For further details contact:
The Maritime & Coastguard Agency Press Office
023 8032 9401