TRIP IN TENDER ENDS IN NEAR DISASTER

A trip in a tender to pick-up fuel for the yacht almost ended in near disaster last night when a man and his son found themselves in the water without lifejackets.

Swansea Coastguard received a call from a yacht at just before midnight last night. The person onboard reported that two people had gone for fuel in a tender and had not returned.

While the RNLI Lifeboat from Horton was on its way to Oxwich Bay to search for the missing people Swansea Coastguard broadcast an alert to all vessels in the area asking them to keep a sharp look out for the man, his son and their tender. Almost immediately afterwards the yacht Mistry contacted Swansea Coastguard to say that they had pulled two people from the water.

Horton lifeboat brought the man and his son back to their yacht (with their fuel). They were both safe and well.

Swansea Coastguard Watch Officer Richard Furneaux said:
These two took to the tender without lifejackets, flares or any other safety equipment and so when the tender was swamped they had no way of calling for help.

They were incredibly lucky to be found by the yacht Mistry, particularly as they werent wearing lifejackets. Our research shows that in 2011, in the cases of 18 people who died 13 would probably or could possibly have been saved had they been wearing a lifejacket or buoyancy aid.

-Ends-

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