Drama unfolded on Anglesey beach as a pick-up truck was engulfed by the incoming tide, leading to a rescue operation. The white pick-up got stuck and was eventually submerged at Traeth Bychan, a popular sandy beach near Moelfre. An urgent call was made to local RNLI and Coastguard teams around 10 am on Saturday as the owner ventured into the water in an attempt to recover the vehicle. Fortunately, it was confirmed that no one else was inside the stranded truck, and the owner managed to make it ashore safely despite getting cold and wet.
Although the pick-up was deemed “beyond salvage” by RNLI Moelfre, a retrieval plan was put in place by the Moelfre Coastguard team on shore. A tractor was brought to the scene, and after an initial tow rope attempt failed, leaving the vehicle submerged, RNLI crew attached a marker buoy to prevent it from drifting with the tide. As a precaution, the lifeboat crew provided safety coverage while the tractor worked to extract the pick-up, with onlookers gathering on the beach.
After a failed first recovery attempt, a second effort involving two tractors led to success as the vehicle was eventually removed from the beach. The bay and beach, often frequented by walkers on the Anglesey Coastal Path, had witnessed a previous rescue in August when a walker fell but was safely recovered by a rope team. The RNLI team ensured the owner’s boat and trailer were safely taken home by an off-duty mechanic. The incident serves as a reminder of the challenges posed by the unpredictable tides along the Welsh coast.