Drama at Cowes! Sailor Plunges Overboard During Race in Solent
A nail-biting rescue unfolded this afternoon at Trinity landing point in Cowes, Isle of Wight, after a sailor fell overboard from the racing yacht Arcadian during a high-stakes race.
Sailor Goes Overboard Near Osborne Bay
The man, believed to be in his 40s, was thrown into the chilly waters while the vessel was gybing close to Osborne Bay. A nearby RS Elite racing boat, called Riff Raff, was quick to the scene and pulled him from the water.
Emergency Services Rush to Rescue
The Cowes lifeboat crew immediately launched a major rescue operation after receiving a Mayday call shortly after 10.30am. Paramedics carried out CPR on the man aboard the lifeboat before hastily transferring him to shore.
- Rescue helicopter 175 from Lee-on-Solent and the Hampshire Air Ambulance joined the response.
- Two ambulances and a police officer were dispatched to the landing point.
- The injured sailor was rushed under police escort to St Mary’s Hospital.
Wife Rushed to Hospital Amid Rescue Effort
Amid the chaos, the sailor’s wife was also rushed to St Mary’s Hospital by an organiser of the Lendy Cowes Week sailing event.
A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesperson said: “HM Coastguard is coordinating a response following a Mayday reporting a person in the water north of Osborne Bay shortly after 10.30am this morning. Cowes RNLI lifeboat, Ventnor Coastguard Rescue Team, and the HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Lee-on-Solent are all on scene.”
“The person was rescued by a passing vessel and escorted ashore by the lifeboat. The casualty has been handed over to Isle of Wight ambulance service. We have no further information at this time.”
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