ROWER RESCUED IN GALE FORCE WINDS

002-12                       3 January, 2012

Coastguards coordinate rescue of rower in Portsmouth Harbour in
hazardous weather conditions.

At 11:26am a member of a local Sailing Club in Portsmouth Harbour
informed the Coastguard at Lee on the Solent of a person in a small dark
dinghy rowing against the wind. They had lost sight of the dinghy and
were concerned for the welfare of the rower in light of the appalling
weather conditions they were experiencing.

Coastguards at Lee on the Solent requested assistance from the
Queen’s Harbour Master at the Portsmouth Naval Base, who tasked an
MOD police launch and police RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat). Solent
Coastguard also scrambled the local Coastguard rescue helicopter to the
scene.

David Williams, Watch Manager at Solent Coastguard, said:
“We were very concerned for the welfare of this rower - the weather
conditions on scene were appalling with wind speeds up to 66 knots
(which is Violent Storm Force 11 gusting to Hurricane Force 12 on the
Beaufort wind scale) and driving rain.

The rower was located on the mud by the police RIB; his overturned
dinghy nearby. He was then taken by Coastguard rescue helicopter to
Queen Alexandra Hospital, suffering from hypothermia. We believe he is
now stable.

We now know that this rower was in transit to or from his yacht in his
dinghy. This is often a hazardous task and not something that we would
recommend in such harsh weather conditions. His lifejacket will have
contributed to saving his life by allowing him to get to the sandbank
where he was then found. “

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