Coastguard and lifeboat launched after people spotted in the water in Newport
A man has been left fighting for his life after a small rowing boat he was onboard capsized and filled with water on the River Medina in the early hours on Monday morning. A lifeboat and a Coastguard search and rescue team and two ambulances were scrambled after a call from a member of the public stating that they could see festival revellers in the water under an upturned rowing boat. Emergency services where called just after midnight to the Newport Rowing club after revellers where spotted near the big wheel at the Isle of Wight festival site in the water. [data-ps-embed-type=slideshow] > iframe {position: absolute;top: 0;left: 0;} _psEmbed(“https://uknip.photoshelter.com”);One of those (a man) is thought to be seriously ill and may die from secondary drowning. It is understood that the trio had paddled from Folly Hill up the River Medina to watch The Killers at the Isle of Wight Festival on Sunday night, it was on their return home that they ran into difficulty. Emergency services were called just after midnight. Foolishly despite having lifejackets on board the three who were in drink ignored the advice of always wear a lifejacket when taking to the water. Two ambulances and a coastguard search and rescue team from Ventnor where mobilised along with the Cowes RNLI lifeboat. The trio where rescued by a nearby boat who radioed a mayday due to the condition of the man to the Coastguard. The lifeboat recovered the three back to shore. The man was treated by paramedics from the Isle of Wight Ambulance service and said to be in a serious way with symptoms of secondary drowning. All three have been taken to St Mary’s Hospital on the Isle of Wight. The coastguard search and rescue team in drysuits recovered the small rowing boat that contained two life jackets and a number of empty drinks cans. The UK Coastguard have been approached for a statement [su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plFY1nFGG9Y”] Mark Harker, from the Cowes Lifeboat station, said: “We got called by the coastguards after midnight to three people in the water from a capsized boat. “They were very cold and dark which was not good for them and boats were moving round, so there was a good chance they could get hit. “As we approached, one of them made it ashore where there was a land rescue team and two ambulances. “The two other people, who were a middle aged couple, had been picked up by a passing smaller boat. They were going into cold shock. “We walked the boat into shore and then carried them through the mud and into an ambulance. “They were clearly in shock and very stunned.” This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
