Rescue services, including Cowes RNLI lifeboat, were on Saturday alerted to an incident in the River Medina in which an 81-year-old man suffered a painful hip injury on an offshore pontoon.
The pontoon, just south of the floating bridge, is used as a fuel depot, and it appears the man slipped while transferring from a boat on to the pontoon.
Launching just after 5pm, the lifeboat was joined at the scene by a Cowes Harbour launch and, later, by Bembridge coastguards – with an ambulance standing by on the Cowes shore.
Eventually the man, after being given pain-killers, was stretchered on to the harbour launch and landed at Shepards Marina where the ambulance took him on to St Mary’s Hospital. The lifeboat returned to station at 6.50pm.
News shared by George on behalf of Cowes RNLI. Ed
Image: © With kind permission of Nick Edwards
