Man Battles for Life After Boat Capsizes at Isle of Wight Festival
A man is fighting for his life after a small rowing boat capsized on the River Medina in the early hours of Monday. The vessel filled with water, leaving three festival revellers stranded in the chilling river near the Isle of Wight Festival site.
Dramatic Rescue Amid Festival Chaos
Emergency services sprang into action just after midnight following a frantic call from a bystander who spotted revellers struggling beneath an upturned boat near Newport Rowing Club, close to the festival’s iconic big wheel.
The trio had paddled from Folly Hill up the River Medina to watch The Killers headline on Sunday night. Trouble hit on their return journey when the boat flipped over.
Lifejackets Ignored, Danger Ensues
Despite having lifejackets on board, the three — reportedly intoxicated — failed to wear them, ignoring vital safety advice. Two ambulances, the Ventnor Coastguard search and rescue team, and the Cowes RNLI lifeboat were dispatched to the scene.
A nearby boat spotted the capsized trio and radioed a mayday for the seriously ill man, who is now suffering from symptoms of secondary drowning. All three were pulled from the water and rushed to St Mary’s Hospital.
First-Hand Account from Cowes Lifeboat Rescue
Mark Harker from Cowes Lifeboat said: “We got called by the coastguards after midnight to three people in the water from a capsized boat. It was very cold and dark, with boats moving around — they were in serious danger of being hit.
“One made it ashore where a land rescue team and ambulances were waiting. The other two, a middle-aged couple, were rescued by a passing smaller boat and were going into cold shock.
“We brought the boat ashore and helped carry them through the mud into an ambulance. They were clearly in shock and very stunned.”
The coastguard team later recovered the small rowing boat, finding two life jackets and several empty drink cans inside.
The investigation is ongoing and more details will be released soon. Stay tuned for updates.
