This in from the Maritime & Coastguard Agency. In their own words. Ed
A fisherman has been rescued after his boat sank ten miles south west of the Isle of Wight.
Solent Coastguard received a mayday call from the vessel just before 10.40 this morning, reporting that he was taking on water.
Mayday broadcast
The Needles Coastguard Rescue Team was sent to a vantage point while the RNLI Yarmouth lifeboat and the Coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Lee-on-Solent were sent to the scene.
Solent Coastguard also issued a Mayday Relay broadcast to other vessels in the area able to offer assistance.
Lifejacket aided his survival
The fisherman went into the water, but was wearing a lifejacket and had a handheld radio and distress flares with him. He set off one of the flares, and was located and winched on board by the Coastguard helicopter. He was then flown to St. Mary’s Hospital on the Isle of Wight.
Alan Waters, Duty Watch Manager at Solent Coastguard, said:
“This fisherman was wearing a lifejacket, which no doubt aided his survival. He also took distress flares and a handheld radio into the water with him which enabled rescue units to find him quickly.
“We always recommend fisherman wear a personal flotation device whilst working on the deck of a vessel at sea. It’s also useful to have an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) or a Personal Locator Beacon ( PLB) with you, which can send an accurate position of where you are to the Coastguard.”
Image: Carlos Paceho under CC BY 2.0
