A report of an upturned inflatable canoe drifting off the coast at Penrhyn Bay prompted a swift response from Llandudno RNLI volunteers, with crews later discovering the family who owned it were safe and well.

The inshore lifeboat launched on Friday, July 3, after HM Coastguard received a 999 call from a concerned member of the public who feared the overturned canoe could indicate someone was in difficulty in the water.

Working alongside Llandudno Coastguard Rescue Team, whose members directed the lifeboat crew from the shore, volunteers quickly located the drifting canoe while Coastguard officers traced its owners.

The family confirmed the inflatable canoe had accidentally drifted away and that everyone was safely ashore and fully accounted for.

With no one missing, the RNLI recovered the canoe and brought it back to shore to prevent further emergency call-outs. It was later collected by its owner.

Paul Moreton, Llandudno RNLI Launch Authority, praised the member of the public for raising the alarm.

He said: “An unattended or overturned craft can easily appear to be an emergency, so it was absolutely the right thing for the member of the public to report what they had seen.

“We’d always rather launch and find everyone safe than risk someone in genuine difficulty going unnoticed. Recovering the canoe also helped prevent further reports and unnecessary call-outs.”

The incident highlights how quickly a drifting or overturned boat can trigger a major emergency response, with rescue services treating every report seriously until they can establish that nobody is at risk.

The RNLI is urging anyone taking to the water this summer to secure paddleboards, kayaks, canoes and other small craft when they are not being used, helping to prevent them drifting away and sparking unnecessary rescue operations.

Anyone who spots an unattended vessel or believes someone may be in trouble at sea should call 999 immediately and ask for the Coastguard. Acting quickly could save a life.