VIDEO: Yarmouth RNLI lifeboat has this morning (Tuesday) rescued two casualties from the Solent after the vessel they were fishing on sunk.
The volunteer crew of Yarmouth’s All Weather Lifeboat were tasked by Solent Coastguard to waters West of the Island at 08:15 this morning alongside Coastguard Rescue 104 helicopter from Lee-on-Solent.
Island Echo understands the fishing vessel sunk off of The Needles, resulting in the two crew members scrambling into a liferaft.
Members of the public reported seeing a red flare earlier this morning, prompting a series of 999 calls to Solent Coastguard. The Needles Coastguard Team were deployed to the watch tower and confirmed the presence of an object in the water, resulting in Yarmouth RNLI being tasked to the area.
Paramedics from the Isle of Wight Ambulance Service alongside members from The Needles Coastguard Team have rendezvoused with the lifeboat, who has brought the casualties ashore at Yarmouth Harbour.
Thankfully, it is understood there have been no serious injuries however the duo are understandably cold after spending around two hours in the liferaft and were taken to St Mary’s Hospital with suspected hypothermia, but later discharged.
UPDATE @ 14:20 – It has emerged this afternoon that both fisherman, Chris Hubbard, 31 and Karl Scrivens, 49, were plunged into the sea as their boat capsized at around 06:00 this morning.
Mr Hubbard in particular was shaken up as he had been in his sleeping bag in a bunk when the incident occurred, resulting in him having to swim out of the wheelhouse and up to the surface.
Chris, from Hamworthy, Poole, has said this afternoon:
“I am still shocked, it doesn’t seem real right now. I gather there was some weight on the port side and the weather and the tide just turned us over. I was in my bed at the time and Karl shouted “get out bed”. As I did I was pinned against the floor which was the wall, and the opposite wall was the floor. Water started coming through a galley window on the port side and I was trying to get back up to the entrance but it was too high. Clothes started falling out of the wardrobe and I managed to grab hold of a heater on the bulkhead and took a breath as water filled the cabin.”
Chris continued:
“I struggled to get the door open under water, I imagine because of the pressure, but thank goodness on the third attempt I got it open. I had to get my bearings but I made it up to the surface and shouted to Karl. He was underneath the life raft so together we righted it and realised the situation we were in. The life raft was still tied to the boat so we had to cut that free because we were worried we might go down with her. I didn’t have time to grab clothes, or a radio – I managed to grab three flares and that’s what we used to try and get someone’s attention.
“I was freezing cold in just my shorts and those were the longest two hours of my life. When I saw the lifeboat coming towards us it was such a relief. I just thought “brilliant – we’re saved.””
Watch the moment Yarmouth RNLI lifeboat reached Chris and Karl
[vsw id=”-xcHtxWbA_k” source=”youtube” width=”425″ height=”344″ autoplay=”no”]
Matt West, Watch Manager at Solent Coastguard, said:
“We always urge fishermen to make sure they’re well prepared when heading out to sea, with as much life saving equipment on board as possible. This includes the necessary communications equipment, a liferaft, distress flares and of course personal flotation devices, which should be worn at all times whilst on deck.”
Video/photo: RNLI
