Passing jet ski blasted out Titanic theme after luxury yacht hit rocks

TWO PEOPLE AND DOG RESCUED UNHARMED AFTER 50FT VESSEL RAN ONTO HAZARD JUST BELOW WATERLINE

- By ANDREW FORGRAVE Countryside and Tourism Editor

SCORES of boats raced to help a luxury 50ft yacht when it foundered on rocks off the Gwynedd coast.

A passing jet ski played the Titanic theme tune through a loudspeaker as a crew member clung frantically to the listing vessel.

The ketch, on passage from Aberystwyth to Pwllheli on Monday afternoon, came to grief on submerged rocks a quarter of a mile from St Tudw-al's Island East near Abersoch on the Llyn Peninsula.

The island’s owner, Carl Hollins, was first on the scene and he tried unsuccessfully to pull the yacht from its Carreg y Trai perch, also known as Half Tide Rocks.

The vessel was a Swedish-built Hallberg-Rassy, regarded as the “Rolls Royce” of sailing yachts. Secondhand prices often start at £500,000 for smaller models.

Half Tide Rocks are usually visible above the surface and are a favourite basking spot for seals. On Monday they were submerged by a high Spring tide but the rocks are charted and the twin-mast yacht should have been alerted to the hazard through its GPS system.