A single-handed yachtsman was airlifted to hospital this morning and his vessel brought to safety after he became ill while sailing off the north coast of Wales.

The joint rescue operation involved Llandudno RNLI lifeboat, a coastguard rescue helicopter and a commercial vessel.

The skipper of the eight-metre yacht Caprice, bound for Conwy requested help after being taken ill when his cruiser was six miles north of Great Orme’s Head.

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Llandudno lifeboat launched at 9am, coastguard helicopter Rescue 936 was diverted to the scene, and a nearby windfarm vessel, the EMS Viking made her way there to provide a lee for the rescue operation.

By 9.50am the sick sailor had been winched into the aircraft and was flown to hospital at Bangor, whilst the lifeboat took his yacht towards Conwy to place her on a safe berth.