A FRANTIC night-time search for three sailors swept out to sea took place off Barmouth last week.

The experienced sailors, who were in the water for two hours without life jackets, had made their way from Ireland to watch the Welsh national team’s brave semi-final defeat against Portugal last Wednesday evening.

Following the match the trio were rowing back to their 30ft Etap yacht Miss Millie when their dinghy was swamped by a wave and capsized in the main channel.

Due to the prevailing conditions, the three men were soon dragged far out to sea.

When they were alerted by HM Coastguard the RNLI Inshore Lifeboat (ILB) volunteer crew launched immediately at 1.20am and began a search of the harbour and channel as far as Friog in the dark and with little visibility.

The RNLI all-weather lifeboat (ALB) the Moira Barrie was also launched quarter of an hour later and scoured the area with its powerful searchlights.

The two vessels were soon joined by the HM Coastguard Search and Rescue helicopter in a bid to locate the stricken sailors.

After many anxious minutes of searching, the ALB located the casualties who had drifted a considerable distance out over the bar and into the bay.

The exhausted men had managed to right the dinghy but it was swamped with water and they were very cold and shocked.

At 3.17am the casualties were taken aboard the ILB and brought ashore to the lifeboathouse where they were able to get showered and warmed before being returned safely to their yacht.

The fortunate yachtsmen called at the station later in the day to express their sincere gratitude.

The skipper said: “We were rowing out towards our boat and were in the main channel when a wave hit us and we capsized.

“We hadn’t realised how strong the tide was and were soon swept out, but managed to hang on to the boat.

“We were in the water for some time before we saw the lifeboat’s searchlights and heard the helicopter.

“We are very grateful to the crew, they were brilliant.

“We will be going back to Ireland tomorrow.”