Five of seven Polish crew members on board a stricken cargo ship that ran aground have been rescued.
Two remaining seamen and a helicopter winchman are still on board the vessel which is thought to have hit a rock near Raynes Jetty at Llanddulas, near Colwyn Bay, North Wales, in rough seas, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said.
However, the operation was hampered after the Royal Navy Sea King rescue helicopter scrambled to the scene developed a problem with its winch wire.
The aircraft, which safely rescued the five crew members before landing on the A55 which runs parallel to the beach at Llanddulas, is now making its way to RAF Valley for repairs.
Meanwhile another helicopter is heading to the scene to complete the operation, an MCA spokeswoman said.
Ray Carson, from Holyhead Coastguard, said the remaining crew members on board the ship were safe and that he was confident the rescue would be completed successfully.
A Welsh Government spokesman said: "The Welsh Government is closely monitoring the emerging situation at Llanddulas. We are being kept fully informed of developments."
The 82-metre long ship, registered in Antigua and Barbuda, was carrying a load of stone.
Earlier an MCA spokesman said: "It is not yet clear what the reason was for this ship running aground. Gale Force 9 northerly winds are currently being experienced."
The RNLI said its two lifeboats from Llandudno and Rhyl were launched "into a full gale and rough seas to assist the vessel". "Due to the challenging weather conditions and the casualty's proximity to the shore, the volunteer crew on both lifeboats are currently on standby nearby as they wait for the RAF helicopter to provide extra assistance," a spokesman said.
Seafarertimes