Person recovered from water off Welsh coast following huge Coastguard response involving two helicopters and multiple lifeboats

A person has been recovered from the sea off the Welsh coast following a dramatic Coastguard response involving helicopters and multiple lifeboats on Bank Holiday Monday.

Two rescue helicopters were spotted circling Barmouth Beach in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, after the alarm was raised about a person getting into trouble in the water at about 5.50pm. 

HM Coastguard said that the person was flown to a hospital in Bangor but their condition is unknown.

A spokesman said: ‘HM Coastguard coordinated the response to a report of concern for a person in the water at Barmouth beach.

Search and rescue teams were seen operating in the area on Monday 

‘The alarm was raised at about 5.50pm on 27 May. Two HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopters were sent as well as Coastguard Rescue Teams from Barmouth, Aberdovey and Aberystwyth. 

‘The RNLI’s all-weather and inshore lifeboats from Barmouth were also sent.

‘A person was recovered from the water and flown to Ysbyty Gwynedd Hospital, Bangor. The Welsh Ambulance Service and North Wales Police also attended.’

There had been local speculation that the Coastguard were searching for multiple people, however a spokesman has now confirmed that there was only one casualty. 

The condition of the person who was recovered from the sea is unknown, the Coastguard added. 

A spokesman for North Wales Police told MailOnline: ‘We are currently assisting HM Coastguard with an incident on Barmouth Beach.

‘We kindly ask people to keep away from the area while emergency services deal with the incident.’

And a Welsh Ambulance Service spokesperson said: ‘We were called today, Monday 27 May, at approximately 6.08pm, to reports of an emergency at Barmouth beach. We sent one rapid response vehicle, one emergency ambulance, and two air ambulances to the scene.’ 

Barmouth is regarded as southern Snowdonia’s most popular seaside resort and attracts thousands of visitors during the summer months.

The condition of the person who was recovered from the sea is unknown, the Coastguard added

The incident at Barmouth comes just days after a woman who fell overboard from a pleasure boat off the Isle of Wight was rescued in a major operation after a Coastguard helicopter winched her to safety.

Two search and rescue helicopters and a plane were sent to the scene alongside the RNLI’s all weather lifeboat and one independent lifeboat. 

A cross-Channel ferry, Commodore Goodwill, also appeared to be assisting with the search.

The woman was safely winched to safety out of the water by a Coastguard helicopter at about 4pm on Thursday, HM Coastguard told MailOnline.