Major Rescue Operation off Cowes following Boating Incident
A major rescue operation is underway in Cowes this morning (Sunday) following what is understood to be a boating incident. A large amount emergency services are on the Cowes Parade and the Coastguard Rescue Helicopter 104 has been scrambled and is also in the air. Three Coastguard search and rescue teams from Ventnor, Bembridge and Southampton have also been scrambled to assist with the incident they are carrying out shore line searches for the missing person who is understood to have been thrown from the fishboat when is was in collision with an item in the sea The Coastguard Rescue helicopter is carrying out a search from the air using a flir infrared camera in an attempt to find any persons who may on the shore between the river media and the Gurnard ledge The Cowes lifeboat and a second lifeboat from Calshot have also been launched at the request of UK Coastguard who are coordinating the search operation for the outstanding sailor. A search is also taking place in an east to west direction near to the entrance of the river media for a missing person. The collision is understood to have happened at the entrance to the media near to the breakwater. It is understood that the man that the rescue crews are looking for has made contact with Police via text message to say that he is on shoreline to the West of Cowes near to the Red Jet. Police have cordoned off Trinity Landing, where the damaged fishing vessel ‘Loose Cannon’ has been moored. An investigation into the incident has been launched by Police and the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA). A spokesman from Cowes RNLI lifeboat said: “The alarm was raised when the fishing boat Loose Canon was involved in a violent collision with an obstruction in Cowes Harbour, off East Cowes. “The damaged boat then floated down with the tide to Trinity Landing. Three people made it to shore but one person was reported missing. “The three men now on board were eventually seen by ambulance crew and taken to St Mary’s Hospital. A coastguard spokesman said: “We received multiple 999 calls at approximately 3.00am after a boat hit a mooring in Cowes Harbour. “Three people made it to shore but one person was reported missing. The Ventnor and Bembridge coastguard rescue teams, the coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Lee-on-Solent and the Cowes and Calshot RNLI lifeboats were all sent to search the area. “”Hampshire Police and the Isle of Wight Ambulance service were also on scene. “After an extensive search, the missing person was found ashore.”
