Conwy missing fishermen: Probe into disappearance begins

An inquiry into what caused a fishing boat carrying three men to disappear off the north Wales coast has started.

A major search was sparked when the Nicola Faith vessel failed to return to Conwy on Wednesday.

There has been no sign of the boat or the crew - Alan Minard, Ross Ballantine and skipper Carl McGrath - since.

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch said it was looking at the "causes and circumstances" that led to the boat's disappearance.

The three men had been working on the Nicola Faith, which was last seen on Wednesday night shortly before it was expected back at Conwy port.

The fishermen Alan Minard, Ross Ballantine and Carl McGrath, had been due to return to Conwy on Wednesday

The alarm was raised on Thursday morning and a major operation, including seven RNLI lifeboat crews and three coastguard search teams, began.

After searching hundreds of square miles of sea, the operation was called off on Friday.

A Marine Accident Investigation Branch spokesperson said: "The MAIB has launched an investigation into the loss of Conwy based fishing vessel Nicola Faith, and its three crew.

"The investigation will look to establish the causes and circumstances leading to the loss of this vessel."

However, because of restrictions related to the Covid pandemic, evidence is currently being gathered remotely and a team has not yet been sent to Conwy, the spokesperson added.

Sonar operations are now under way to find the missing vessel and the MAIB is "pursuing all avenues of enquiry to understand the circumstances that led to the loss of the Nicola Faith".