Coastguard calls off search for missing Conwy fishermen
Coastguard calls off search for missing Conwy fishermenMajor search operation in the Irish Sea for fishing boat, the Nicola Faith, fails to find any sign of missing vessel.
The Conwy-based fishing boat, the Nicola Faith, has been missing since Wednesday. The UK Coastguard has now called off the search for her three crew Alan Minard, Ross Ballantine, and skipper Carl McGrath.
In a statement on Friday, HM Coastguard’s Rob Priestley said: “We have carried out highly-concentrated and thorough searches of wide areas off the north coast of Wales to locate this vessel – using all available resources – but, sadly, nothing has been found so far. Our thoughts are with the family and friends and the wider community at this difficult time.”
The 10m vessel was expected back in Conwy late on Wednesday night and the Coastguard says the alarm was raised on Thursday at 10:00 GMT. A major search and rescue operation was launched with seven RNLI lifeboats and three Coastguard search teams involved.
Relatives of the three men, all of whom were under 40 and from the Conwy area, had been keeping a vigil at Llandudno’s RNLI lifeboat station.
