|
Brixham Coastguard have been co-ordinating assistance this afternoon to two seriously injured men, a 41 year old father and his 25 year old son from Stoke on Trent, who were both thrown from their vessel, a 17 foot Dory with an outboard engine.
The incident began at 3.20 this afternoon when the Coastguard received reports of the two men having suffered serious injury within sight of many people on the beach at Pentewan Sands, north of Mevagissey in Cornwall.
Reports indicated that the two people had been thrown from the speeding vessel which had then run over both people in the water, not once, but twice, incurring serious injuries. They suffered serious head and leg injuries respectively.
The kill cord which cuts the engine if pulled, and is recommended to be attached around the leg of the driver, was wrapped around the steering column when the vessel was recovered by the Fowey RNLI all weather lifeboat, after it had run out of fuel and hit rocks nearby. The lifeboat crew made sure the area was clear for other bathers.
Mevagissey Coastguard Rescue Team were immediately despatched to the area to report back to the Operations Room.
South West Ambulance treated both casualties on the beach initially before an air ambulance took the man with the head injuries to Treliske hospital for urgent medical attention. The son was transferred by land ambulance to the same hospital.
The weather on scene was a calm sea, good visibility and light winds.
Nick Ratcliff, Duty Watch Manager at Brixham Coastguard said
“It seems that the vessel had somehow hit the bottom and thrown both father and son out, and the uncontrolled boat had then circled, hitting them both twice. They had both been hit by the boats propeller.
“A member of the public had then assisted both of them out of the water to the beach. We urgently recommend to boaters that the killcord be attached around your leg or securely to your personal buoyancy aid. In either case it should not foul the steering or gear controls. The vessel was then taken to Beryls Pontoon on the River Fowey for further investigation. We have informed the Marine Accident Investigation Branch of the incident. We understand that the father with head injuries is in a serious but stable condition.”
Contacts:
Maritime and Coastguard Agency Press Office
Maritime And Coastguard Agency
Phone: 023 8032 9401
Email: NDS.MCGA@coi.gsi.gov.uk
Mark Clark.
Maritime And Coastguard Agency
Phone: 023 8032 9414
Mobile: 07711 002678
Email: mark.clark@mcga.gov.uk
Should fisheries be closed during breeding time to allow stocks to reach more sustainable levels?
