SEARCH LOCATES LONE SAILOR TRAPPED ONBOARD YACHT AT NEWTOWN CREEK

A large scale search of the Solent resulted in a man being found trapped between furniture on board his yacht moored in Newtown last night (Sunday). Serious concerns about the wellbeing of a lone yachtsman were raised with HM Coastguard earlier in the evening, prompting a search and rescue operation to be launched. All that was known was that his yacht had left Chichester Harbour on Saturday and could be anywhere along the south coast, including the Solent. Coastguard Rescue 175 helicopter was scrambled from Lee-on-Solent and conducted an extensive search of Chichester Harbour. It was then determined, by tracking the yachtsman’s phone, that he was possibly located in the area of the River Medina or Newtown Creek here on the Isle of Wight. The helicopter relocated and conducted a sweep of the 2 areas, with Coastguard Rescue Teams from Bembridge and The Needles mobilised on the ground. Cowes RNLI lifeboat was also launched to conduct a search of the Medina, without success. A short while later, the vessel of interest was located by Coastguard Rescue 175 in nearby Newtown, which prompted Coastguard Rescue Teams to be tasked to Shalfleet Quay. On boarding the yacht, rescuers found a man trapped between furniture and fittings in the cabin. With the help of Cowes RNLI and Solent Rescue personnel, as well as paramedics from the Isle of Wight Ambulance Service and Coastguard Rescue Officers, the man was freed and taken ashore to an awaiting ambulance. He was conveyed to St Mary’s Hospital for further assessment. The incident was concluded at around 22:00.