Rhyl’s All-Weather lifeboat was launched at 1540 on 21/12/2010 after the windfarm support vessel “Explorer” discovered an 18ft cockling boat drifting near to the North Hoyle windfarm off North Wales.
The boat was unoccupied, but it was not known if the vessel had broken adrift from the River Dee estuary or had been engaged in the cockling industry. The boat’s position made it a hazard to windfarm shipping entering the port of Mostyn or working on the offshore wind turbines.
The lifeboat came alongside the vessel and a crew member was put aboard.The vessel was locked, and the mooring line was still in the water, so it looked like the boat had come adrift from it’s mooring. As it was a danger to shipping, the boat was towed back to Rhyl to await the owner who had contacted Holyhead Coastguard regarding the missing vessel. The lifeboat was back on station at 1555.
