A yachtsman and his dog were rescued after their 23ft cruiser ran aground in a Welsh estuary.

Volunteer crew members from Criccieth’s Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station were alerted to the incident at 5.55pm yesterday, after being paged by the coastguard.

The station’s Atlantic 85 class lifeboat, Doris Joan, was promptly launched to assist the stricken vessel, Water Wisp, which had one person onboard along with his a dog.

The well-equipped yacht was reported to have run aground in Porthmadog Estuary’s channel near the number four marker buoy, with the occupant reporting waves breaking over the vessel.

Once on scene, the Atlantic 85’s helmsman, Chris Fisher, decided to take the occupant and his dog off the yacht and return them to shore; however low tides prevented the lifeboat from coming alongside Water Wisp.

The station’s smaller Arancia inshore rescue boat, Margret a Nantw, was tasked to transfer the
occupants to the larger lifeboat.

The yachtsman and his dog were then taken to Criccieth and transferred to the care of an awaiting coastguard team.

The smaller lifeboat stayed on scene awaiting the Atlantic 85’s return.

With both lifeboats on scene, a towing line was established and Water Wisp was towed away from the foreshore into deeper water.

As the yacht was in relatively good repair, senior helmsman Paul Filby skippered the yacht safely into Porthmadog harbour, escorted by the Atlantic 85 lifeboat.

(Picture: The yachtsman and dog being landed safely ashore by Criccieths Atlantic 85 lifeboat. Credit: RNLI/Nigel Wright)