THREE ANGLERS RESCUED FROM SEA NEAR RIVER AXE MOUTH

This morning at 6.00 am the angling vessel ‘Sam’, from Beer, came across three people in the water and a sinking 16ft sports angling boat. The three had been out on a fishing expedition near the River Axe mouth, when their vessel had overturned and begun to sink. The crew of ‘Sam’ recovered the casualties from the water who were cold and wet but unharmed.

It was only by chance that the angling vessel ‘Sam’ was in the area and had spotted the survivors. The angling boat had capsized at speed and the three men on board had been thrown into the water with no warning. Their lifejackets were safely stowed back at home and so were of no use to them.

The angling boat has now sunk off Seaton and may be salvaged later.

Portland Coastguard Watch Officer Roger Hoare says:
“These three men are extremely lucky to be alive after making such a basic error as leaving their lifejackets at home. If the angling vessel ‘Sam’ had not been passing at that moment their chances of survival could have been limited. A lifejacket is useless unless you wear it.”
“The men also did not have any means of communication with them, other than mobile phones, which are useless when wet, can easily fall out of pockets and are extremely unreliable on the water. Anglers on small boats can take a portable VHF radio with them which allows them to contact other water users as well as the coastguard in an emergency. A mobile phone inside a sealed plastic bag is a good back up.”

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