ABERSOCH RNLI members have paid tribute to a much-loved helmsman who died at the weekend.

Emyr Jones, 62, who had been Abersoch station’s Deputy Launching Authority for more than a decade, before which he was a volunteer lifeboat helmsman, died at home on Saturday.

Mr Jones, known locally as Ems, began his work with the RNLI on Trearddur Bay when he was in his 20s, but moved to Abersoch over 30 years ago where he joined the Aber­soch RNLI team and took on various different roles during his time with the team.

Last year, RNLI charity chairman Charles Hunter-Pease travelled to Abersoch to present him with an inscribed statuette in recognition of his valuable support to the lifeboat service.

He was presented the long service award in front of the Abersoch RNLI crew and his wife, Linda.

Gareth Hughes-Jones, Abersoch RNLI lifeboat operations manager, had known Mr Jones since he first started volunteering at the station in 1980.

He said: “He always undertook his roles in a professional and seamanlike manner; he was always reli­able and had the interests of the crew and whoever was in trouble at sea as his main focus.

“Being here for many years in different roles with all the training involved meant he had a wealth of knowledge which he passed on to the younger crew.

“As a character he was witty and humorous and loved the social side of station life. He was a true friend of the RNLI and he will be sadly missed.”