RESCUE services have been scrambled following reports of a light aircraft going down off the Anglesey coast.

It is thought the plane, believed to be a Cessna 172S, flew over Puffin Island and has gone down somewhere off the coast in the Penmon area.

A multi-agency rescue is now underway at sea involving lifeboat crews including Moelfre, Beaumaris and Llandudno and coastguard teams from Penmon and Bangor, as well as search and rescue coastguard helicopter from Caernarfon. Police have also been sent to the Penmon area to assist.

A spokesperson for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: "HM Coastguard is currently co-ordinating a search and rescue in the Puffin Island area of North Wales following a report at 12.47pm today (Monday, November 25) that an aircraft had disappeared from radar contact.

"The search and rescue helicopter from Caernarfon has been sent as well as Coastguard Rescue Teams from Penmon and Bangor and a Senior Coastguard Operations Officer. The RNLI lifeboats from Beaumaris, Moelfre and Llandudno and North Wales Police have been sent.

"It has not been confirmed how many people were on-board the aircraft. The incident is ongoing and we have no further information at this time."

An RNLI spokesperson said: "Two RNLI lifeboats from Anglesey have launched this afternoon (Monday, November 25) to assist in the search for an aircraft last seen two miles north east of Penmon.

"Beaumaris' Atlantic 85 launched at 1.15pm and Moelfre’s Tamar class all-weather lifeboat launched at 1.20pm.

"The volunteer crews are searching an area around Penmon and are joined by Coastguard teams from Penmon and Bangor and a coastguard helicopter.”

In a statement North Wales Police said: "We received a call at 12.59pm today (Monday) reporting a possible crash involving a light aircraft in the Penmon area.

"Officers are currently assisting HM Coastguard and our enquiries are ongoing."

North Wales Police Anglesey also Tweeted at 3.11pm (Monday): "Multi agency operation underway at sea off Anglesey coast following report of incident involving light aircraft."