Stranded fisherman rescued from Abersoch rocks

Two men trapped on rocks while spear fishing have been rescued by an RNLI inshore lifeboat crew and airlifted to hospital by helicopter.

RNLI video shows them caught in waves breaking below cliffs at Porth Ceiriad, near Abersoch, Gwynedd, on Saturday.

Two Abersoch RNLI crew members went to the rocks but was one was temporarily washed into the sea.

The crewmen were airlifted to the beach and the casualties were taken to hospital at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor.

The alert was raised after the men, wearing wet suits, were swept on to the rocks after leaving the nearby beach.

High waves were battering the rocks and the cliff overhang under which they were sheltering.

One of the RNLI crew went on the rocks and found one of the two men was injured, complaining of neck and back pain.

Helmsman Andy Gunby decided to put himself on the rocks as well to bring over a first aid kit and a hand-held radio.

He said: "We were trying to keep the casualty as immobile as possible when a big breaker hit the rocks, swamping all of us."

The rescue was on rocks that were being swept by breaking waves

His colleague Paul Collins was washed down the cliff into the water. Battered and exhausted, Mr Collins was able to cling on and eventually made his way back up to take care of the casualties.

The rescue helicopter from RAF Valley arrived and winched the two men, in their 30s, and the two RNLI crew aboard.

The crew men were dropped at the beach and the two casualties were taken to hospital.

A spokesman for Abersoch RNLI said: "There were risks there. They were at the base of this cliff. They tried their best to move the casualty to a higher part but there is an overhang there so they could not move.

"The rocks were very slippery. These big breakers were pounding them at the time.

"They will take this as part of their job. It's what they train for."