Coastguard Rescue 175 helicopter and Sandown & Shanklin Independent Lifeboat have been scrambled to reports of a person in difficulty off St Catherine’s Point this afternoon (Friday).
HM Coastguard has mobilised a number of resources to the emergency at the most southerly tip of the Isle of Wight.
Sandown Lifeboat was paged to launch at 14:44 with the volunteer crew currently making best speed south towards St Catherine’s, where Coastguard Rescue 175 is already on scene.
Coastguard Rescue Officers from Ventnor are also in attendance.
UPDATE @ 16:25 – The search has now been concluded with confirmation that no persons have been found in distress.
A spokesperson for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has said:
“At shortly before 2.30pm today, HM Coastguard received a report from a member of public that a windsurfer was potentially in difficulty approximately 600 metres offshore from St Catherine’s Point Lighthouse, Isle of Wight.
“Ventnor Coastguard Rescue Team, the coastguard helicopter from Lee-on-Solent and Sandown lifeboat were sent to assist.
Article continues below this advertisement ”Upon further investigation by search and rescue units, it was confirmed that the object spotted in the water was part of a lost kitesurfing wing and no people were found to be in distress.
“The owner of the kitesurfing equipment confirmed with HM Coastguard that it was their piece of kit in the water.”
Why didn’t this person who list it report to the coastguard that it was lost at sea would of saved a lot time and money for the chopper
How would the coastguard know who`s it was ?
but at least it was marked so they could contact the owner .
Quite.