Flares bring help to boater in a medical emergency
24/05/2022
After his boat engine failed, a lone boater who suffered a medical emergency fired flares to alert search and rescue teams.
The incident happened at Buxey Sands, near Burnham-on-Crouch, one night in May. The 25-foot yacht had been out all night.
Despite the medical condition, the sailor set off red distress flares, which were seen by a local fishing boat, which stayed until an RNLI crew arrived.
Burnham-on-Crouch RNLI was asked to help by the coastguard and the Atlantic Class lifeboat Tony & Robert Britt was launched.
The casualty vessel had sustained power/engine failure. The lone boater’s mobile phone had run out of battery and the radio had failed.
Following emergency checks on the casualty, the boat was towed to Essex Marina. The sailor was handed over to officers from H.M. Coastguard Southend-on-Sea. The casualty was then passed into the care of the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust as the sailor was cold and wet and showing signs of hypothermia.
The image is courtesy of Mark Peters, the owner of a local fishing vessel, and the RNLI.
