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Fisherman's family will 'never forget' lifeboat team's rescue effort

Chris DeardenBBC Wales
News imageBBC A group of five people stand in a lifeboat station in front of an RNLI lifeboat on its slipway. Two RNLI crew members in yellow protective gear stand at either end, with three visitors in everyday clothing between them. BBC
The family of Ross Ballantine met the volunteers who searched for him in 2021 to thank them for their service at Christmas

The family of a fisherman who died at sea has paid an emotional visit to the lifeboat station to thank the crew who searched for him and his fellow trawlermen.

Ross Ballantine, 39, was one of three men on board the Nicola Faith who drowned when the vessel capsized and sank off Colwyn Bay, Conwy county, in January 2021.

His sister, Lowri Taylor, and her family visited Llandudno lifeboat station to thank volunteers for their search efforts, and for remaining on call throughout the Christmas period.

Lifeboat crews across the UK and Ireland say they will be available 24 hours a day over the festive season, and expect to be called out more than 100 times between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day.

The Nicola Faith left her home port of Conwy in late January 2021 to fish for whelks off the north Wales coast, but never returned.

The disappearance of the boat and her three crew – Ross Ballantine, Alan Minard, 20, and skipper Carl McGrath, 34 – led to a sea and air search covering a wide area.

RNLI volunteers from Llandudno, Rhyl, Conwy, Beaumaris and Hoylake collectively spent more than 90 hours searching for the Nicola Faith, but nothing was found.

The bodies of all three men were found washed up on shore several weeks later, with the wreckage of the boat not located until April that year.

Llandudno lifeboat crews said the operation was one of the hardest they had ever undertaken because they were unable to find the missing men.

Ms Taylor said the loss continues to be felt deeply by the family, particularly at Christmas.

News imageFamily Photos Three portrait photographs of Carl McGrath, Ross Ballantine and Alan Minard shown side by side. The man on the left is pictured smiling, indoors, and wearing a dark top; the man in the centre is dressed in a white shirt and light-coloured tie and stands outside; the man on the right sits outside in a blue puffer jacket, smiling, with greenery behind him.Family Photos
Carl McGrath, Ross Ballantine and Alan Minard drowned after their fishing boat sank

"Christmas will never be the same for us as a family," she said.

"Losing Ross was the most devastating thing to happen to us. He wasn't only my brother, he was a much-loved son and dad.

"His two young boys facing another Christmas without their dad, and that pain, will never go away."

She said the family wanted to return to Llandudno to show their gratitude to the RNLI volunteers who supported them throughout the search.

"We will never come to terms with that loss, but the one thing we can do is to show our gratitude for the amazing volunteers who brought us hope during our darkest days," she said.

"We knew the RNLI crews wanted more than anything to bring all the boys back to their families - and whilst it was the outcome none of us wanted, what they did for us, we'll never forget."

News imageFour people stand closely together inside an RNLI lifeboat, surrounded by navigation screens and control panels. On the right, stand two RNLI crew members in navy uniforms with a woman in a khaki-coloured shirt and a man in a pink sweatshirt standing to their left.
Andy Ballantine and Lowri Taylor met with RNLI Llandudno crew members - Graham Heritage (l) and Luke Heritage (r) who helped in the search for their brother, Ross

Father and son, Graham and Luke Heritage, who were both on board the Llandudno lifeboat during the search for the Nicola Faith, will again be on call over the coming Christmas period.

Luke said meeting the families of the Nicola Faith crew in the years since the tragedy had helped bring a sense of closure for the volunteers involved, with the operation in 2021 leaving a lasting impact on the team.

"It was one of those searches that you don't forget.

"Whilst we carry out hundreds of successful rescues, it's the ones we couldn't save which stick in our mind," he said.

"As the hours turned into days, hope faded - and to see the families waiting outside the station for news each evening was heartbreaking.

"It was during a time when Covid restrictions were in force, and one of the most upsetting things was that we couldn't bring them inside the station to give them some comfort."