A TOTAL of 12 people onboard a rowing boat found themselves in difficulty in waters off the Anglesey coast.

RNLI Holyhead Lifeboat Station were alerted at 5.30am on Sunday, August 13. 

The vessel was on its way to Northern Ireland. HM Coastguard were informed that one of the rowers had fallen ill. 

The craft was about 11 nautical miles off Carmel Head. Crew headed to Holyhead port and launched the Severn-class Christopher Pearce.

On arrival, one woman was found with "severe sickness". She also had a low heart rate and was confused. 

Another person had fallen overboard and had been retrieved from the water by other rowing crew.

Other rowers were suffering from fatigue.

After assessing the situation, the lifeboat volunteers launched the Y-boat, the daughter craft of the All-weather lifeboats (ALBs), and deployed it to evacuate the two casualties from the rowing boat.

They were quickly brought aboard the ALB, and given "immediate casualty" care by lifeboat crew.

Meanwhile, it was agreed that the rowing vessel, which had left Amlwch at midnight and had been heading to Bangor, Northern Ireland, needed towing back to shore.

While initially Holyhead was decided as the destination, after an assessment of the weather, wind direction and the condition of the casualties, it was agreed that Amlwch would be a more suitable option, and the lifeboat and casualty craft then made for Amlwch at a steady pace of five knots.

Initially, an ambulance was requested to meet one of the casualties on the shoreside, but after skilled casualty care by our crew, the woman began to make a rapid recovery, and the ambulance was stood down.

Cemaes cliff rescue team volunteers were asked to meet the team in Amlwch to take over the care of both casualties.

Holyhead coxswain Tony Price said: "This was quite a different call for us – a difficult target to find, and a difficult target to adapt due to the weather conditions - and initially an unknown entity regarding the condition of casualties.

"All of the lifeboat crew worked exceptionally well together, from deployment of the Y-boat, boat handling, casualty evacuation and care, and the mechanics team in the engine room; everything was done with the utmost diligence and outstanding skill. I’m extremely proud of everyone who turned out for the call.

"We also must thank our friends from Cemaes cliff rescue team, who as always showed their professionalism and teamwork to work with us on this call."

He added: "The two professional rowers on board need commending for being steady throughout the incident, and for calling for help when they did. The vessel was in excellent condition, and the rowers were all experienced, but the conditions of the Irish Sea were overwhelming."

Tony thanked the Amlwch Port café staff, who opened early to feed, warm up and refresh all the casualties and crew.