A US-style paddle steamer named the Oliver Cromwell has sunk into the Irish Sea off the coast of Wales.

The 36 metre boat was being towed towards Ireland by tug after spending time in the south of England.

After receiving a call from the UK Coastguard at 2:20pm yesterday the RNLI Holyhead crew headed to the scene to try and assist.

Arriving at around 3pm, the lifeboat crew saw immediately that the boat was in trouble and was beginning to sink.

The boat had no-one on board and was not carrying any fuel.

Holyhead RNLI coxswain Tony Price decided that it was too dangerous to send crewmembers on board the stricken vessel.

By 4:20pm she had sunk the 50 metres to the bottom of the sea.

‘It was very sad to see such a lovely vessel sink like that,” said Mr Price. “But fortunately no one was endangered and the lack of fuel on board meant there were no environmental issues.”

The lifeboat left the scene a short time later and arrived back in Holyhead at 5:20pm.

The Oliver Cromwell paddle steamer sinks into the Irish Sea. Image: RNLI/Jay Garden

The Oliver Cromwell paddle steamer sinks into the Irish Sea. Image: RNLI/Jay Garden

The Oliver Cromwell paddle steamer sinks into the Irish Sea. Image: RNLI/Jay Garden