FATHER AND SON RESCUED AFTER BOAT CIRCLES THEM FOR FORTY MINUTES
A father and son have been
rescued and brought ashore this afternoon after their boat broke down and their
attempt to repair it went wrong.
The angling boat was 3
nautical miles off Redcar , when it broke down
and the 2 men began attempting to repair it. As they worked on the engines, the
main engine suddenly sprang into action and threw both of them into the water.
The boat circled around the two men in the water (neither of whom was wearing a
lifejacket) for 40 minutes before the vessel ran out of fuel. At this point the
son was able to clamber back on board and broadcast a mayday message.
The fishing vessel ‘Nimrod
II’, the pilot vessel ‘Coatham’ and a passing warship responded to the request
for assistance, whilst Humber Coastguard requested the Redcar RNLI lifeboat to
launch.
The Nimrod II rescued the
man from the water and took him to shore, whilst the Coatham stood by to ensure
safety. When the lifeboat arrived on scene, it retrieved the other man from the
angling boat and took him to shore then returned to the vessel and towed it
back to Redcar . Both men have been taken to
hospital suffering with hypothermia.
Graham Dawson, Humber
Coastguard Watch Manager says:
“If your boat breaks down at
sea, and repairing it is not a routine job, please call the Coastguard, so that
we can get the resources to you to help.
“Wear the lifejacket or buoyancy
aid that your sport’s governing body recommends.”