Two wing foilers were rescued after being swept around two nautical miles offshore off the North Wales coast when one of them became unwell.

Llandudno RNLI's inshore lifeboat launched at 10.55am yesterday (Saturday July 25) after HM Coastguard requested assistance for two people on wing foils approximately half a nautical mile north of Angel Bay, near the Little Orme. One of the casualties had entered the water after feeling unwell.

The volunteer crew launched swiftly in blustery conditions and headed to the reported location. However, after arriving at the scene they were unable to find the pair.

Following discussions with HM Coastguard, the search area was widened and Llandudno RNLI's all-weather lifeboat was placed on immediate standby in case a larger search operation became necessary.

Shortly afterwards, updated information from one of the casualties revealed they had drifted much further offshore than first thought. Strong winds and the ebbing tide had carried them around two nautical miles from the nearest shore in a relatively short space of time.

The inshore lifeboat crew located both casualties, finding one person still on their wing foil while the second was sitting on their board after entering the water.

Both were wearing the appropriate safety equipment.

As one of the casualties required medical assessment, the crew took the decision to bring both people aboard the lifeboat along with their wing foils. Recovering the equipment also prevented it from becoming a hazard to other water users or triggering further emergency call-outs.

With the pair safely located, the all-weather lifeboat was stood down.

An ambulance, requested by HM Coastguard, was waiting on the beach when the lifeboat returned to shore.

Llandudno RNLI's shore crew helped the casualties ashore, where they were handed into the care of the ambulance service for further assessment.

The rescue highlights how quickly wind and tidal conditions can carry water users away from the shoreline, even when they are equipped appropriately, and serves as a reminder for anyone taking to the sea to check weather and tide conditions before setting out and to carry a reliable means of calling for help.