In May 1968, the Llandudno lifeboat Lilly Wainwright, made international news when she went to the aid of the 314 ton pleasure steamer St.Trillo which, with a fouled propellor, was dragging her anchor and drifting towards the Little Orme. On board were 420 people, including 325 wealthy Americans from the Swedish liner Kungsholm. These annual visits by the sister ships Kungsholm or Gripsholm were advertised in the United States as being "for Americans who have seen everywhere else".
The “St. Trillo” was acting as tender to the Kungsholm, which was anchored 1 1/2 miles offshore and returning passengers to the ship as part of a “Spring Adventure Cruise”. Also on board the tender were several members of the Kungsholm's crew and aprox 50 local residents who had paid half a crown for a closer look at the liner. Events turned for the worse, when the St Trillo attempted to tie up alongside the Kungsholm the mooring rope from the Kungsholm became wrapped round the port propellor of the St.Trillo. As the St Trillo drifted away, her overworked starboard engine failed and was within minutes of striking the Little Orme. In worsening weather lifeboats from Llandudno, Rhyl and Moelfre stood by but the situation became serious when the ships doctor reported that at least three passengers needed emergency doses of insulin. By this time the Kungsholm had put to sea because of the northerly gale and it was into the teeth of this gale that the Lilly Wainwright set off in pursuit of the liner and collect insulin packs and syringes which were then transferred to the “St. Trillo”. With ropes attached to two lifeboats at the stern and the Conwy trawler Kilravock acting as a tug, the “St. Trillo” was later berthed at Llandudno Pier, from where the passengers were taken to a hotel for the night. The passengers expressed their gratitude to the crewmen by placing dollars to the value of £3,562.00 in a collecting box.
