The Moelfre lifeboat was called out

Mike Tollan, 52, from Cheshire, had responded immediately to the mayday call off the north Wales coast just after 1100GMT on Saturday morning.

He said he arrived at the scene near Dulas Island, Anglesey, and saw the body of 52-year-old Melvin Blanchfield lying face down in the water.

Mr Tollan made several efforts to reach Mr Blanchfield in the difficult conditions, but he was unable to secure a line on him.

The crew of the Moelfre lifeboat also had to contend with strong winds and an easterly sea swell when they reached the scene.

Mr Tollan said he had met Mr Blanchfield, who was a crew member of the yacht Bakarat, the night before.

He recalled sailing alongside Bakarat on Saturday morning for a while before the tragedy.

My son Chris thought about jumping in, but I would not let him Mike Tollan, yachtsman

But when his crew became seasick, he decided to go to Amlwch harbour.

"I was heading to Amlwch when I heard the mayday call and I turned round with my engine on and went to see if I could be of assistance," said Mr Tollan.

"I did not know what had gone wrong. Then, as I got closer, I saw a man in the water.

"My guess is he had been in the water for about 30 minutes - the water temperature was 5C and I knew there would be a problem."

He added: "I could not get a rope round him, the sea was heavy. I could not keep the boat steady.

"My son Chris thought about jumping in, but I would not let him."

An RAF helicopter was called to the scene

As Mr Tollan turned his boat round again to approach Mr Blanchfield, the Moelfre lifeboat and RAF rescue helicopter arrived at the scene.

Two lifeboatmen went into the water and one attempted to give Mr Blanchfield the kiss of life.

He was airlifted to hospital but pronounced dead on arrival at Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor.

"It was a bit of a shock to realise I could not do more. You do ask yourself if there is more you could have done," said Mr Tollan.

'Confused day'

"Although you practice man overboard situations regularly, getting a wet body out of the water is extremely difficult."

Mr Tollan added it had been a "very confused day" and that he had spoken at length to the lifeboat crew after the tragedy.

Moelfre lifeboat crew member Anthony Barclay said: "The wind was a force 5-6 and there was a tidal rip there.

"We had an easterly wind with an easterly swell, which was blowing everything towards the rocks at Freshwater Bay.

"I know how difficult it is to get someone out of the water in such conditions.

"We train for things like this all the time. But it is still very difficult in conditions like that."

Mr Blanchfield lived on a yacht in Conwy marina and would have been 53 this week.

An inquest into his death has been opened and adjourned.