SAILOR CLINGS TO BUOY IN DARK AFTER FALLING FROM YACHT

A man in his early sixties was rescued from the water this morning, after he was found clinging to a buoy outside Padstow Harbour. He had fallen overboard from his yacht and was not wearing a lifejacket.

Falmouth Coastguard was alerted by the Police at to a report of a person crying out for help in the water outside Padstow Harbour. Holiday makers staying in the Old Harbour Flats heard shouts for help coming from the water but could not see anyone in the darkness.

Coastguard Rescue Officers from Padstow were sent to the quay side where they made verbal contact with the casualty by calling out to him. Using portable flood lighting equipment they illuminated the area to assist in the search.

The Rock Inshore RNLI lifeboat was requested to launch. A fishing boat ‘Charisma’ assisted in the search. When the lifeboat arrived on scene the casualty was quickly located, a sixty one year old man was found clinging to a buoy and at , he was recovered to the lifeboat. The casualty was then taken to Padstow Harbour and passed into the care of Ambulance Paramedics and the Padstow Coastguard Rescue Officers.

Peter Bullard, Watch Manager at Falmouth Coastguard said:

 “We believe the casualty had been sailing single handed when he fell off his 36 foot yacht, as he attempted to moor it to a buoy. He was not wearing a lifejacket but fortunately managed to cling onto the buoy. The yachts engine was still running when he fell into the water and it moved away.

Had this casualty not been able to hang onto the buoy and had his calls not been heard there may have been a very different outcome to this incident. There is inherent risk when sailing single handed, we recommend that a lifejacket should always be worn when on deck”.

The Rock lifeboat began a search for the missing yacht which they located aground at Porthilly on the other side of the estuary. The yacht appeared to have not sustained any serious damage so the lifeboat towed it to Padstow in readiness for further inspection in daylight.

The casualty, having been in the water for more than an hour, was cold but otherwise reported to be uninjured and was taken to Royal Cornwall Hospital Treliske for further checks as a precaution.

 


For further details contact:
The Maritime & Coastguard Agency Duty Press Officer
Office hours: 023 8032 9401Mobile: 07764 624 505
Press releases and further information about the Agency is available on the Web at www.mcga.gov.uk

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