New memorial to honour victims of one of Wales’ worst boating disasters
Nation.Cymru staff
A new memorial will be unveiled tomorrow (22 July) to mark the 60th anniversary of one of Wales’ worst boating disasters, when 15 people lost their lives after a pleasure boat sank on the Mawddach Estuary.
The memorial service at Penmaenpool, near Dolgellau, will remember those who died in the Prince of Wales disaster, while also paying tribute to the local people who risked their own lives to rescue survivors from the fast-flowing tidal waters.
Organised by Dolgellau Town Council, the service will include the unveiling of a permanent memorial to the 15 victims and recognise the bravery of local residents who helped save the remaining passengers.
The pleasure boat had left Barmouth carrying more than 40 passengers when it struck the wooden toll bridge at Penmaenpool and sank in the incoming tide.
Fifteen people, including four children, drowned. Twenty-eight passengers and crew survived, many thanks to the actions of local residents who rushed to the scene.
Among them was George III Hotel proprietor John Hall, who launched a rowing boat with two members of staff, David Jones and Robert Jones, to rescue passengers from the water. Ronald Davies also saved two children after wading into the estuary.
A subsequent Board of Trade inquiry found the skipper had been negligent. The Prince of Wales had set off carrying 42 people, six more than its permitted capacity of 36, and there were too few lifejackets on board.
The disaster prompted significant changes to government safety regulations covering pleasure boat trips and ferry operations.
Councillor Nia Wyn Evans of Dolgellau Town Council said the anniversary was an opportunity for the community to remember those who died while recognising the courage shown by those who came to the rescue.
She said: “This anniversary is an important moment for our community to come together in remembrance of those who lost their lives, and to honour the courage and selflessness of those who assisted others with so little regard for their own safety.
“The new memorial will stand as a lasting tribute – not only to the lives lost, but to the bravery shown here in Llyn Penmaen sixty years ago.”
The service, which begins at 3pm, will include contributions from the local diocese, a reading of a poem by Huw Dylan Owen and a performance by Lois Wyn Hughes before refreshments at the George III Hotel. Families of the victims, members of the community and the public have been invited to attend.
The Penmaenpool memorial service will be held at 3:00pm, Wednesday, 22 July 2026, Llyn Penmaen (near Dolgellau).
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