Boat which sunk off Somerset coast after Mayday call still missing
A search is continuing to retrieve a boat which sank along the Somerset coast. Rescuers[1] were called out early on Thursday (August 17) to reports of a converted trawler taking on water near Hinkley Power Station.
Two sailors on the boat issued a Mayday message to alert the coastguard. Burnham-on-Sea[2] lifeboat and Barry Dock lifeboat raced to the scene along with the coastguard helicopter.
On arrival, crews boarded the boat and tried to pump the water out, but it continued to take in water until it sank. The two sailors were taken off the boat and transferred back to Burnham-on-Sea by the lifeboat[3] crews.
The boat is now understood to have floated further along the channel[5] with Watchet coastguard called out on Saturday (August 19) to try and locate the missing vessel. Despite searches of the coast, the boat has still not been found.
A spokesman for Watchet Coastguard said: “The team was tasked again to assist with locating the wreckage of a vessel that sank to the east of our guard yesterday morning where RNLI Lifeboats at Burnham-on-Sea[6] were tasked alongside Barry Dock RNLI[7].
“With the vessel reported to be now 10 to 12 miles west of its previous location together with HM Coastguard Minehead[8] we were tasked to confirm it’s location to allow the maritime salvage unit to assess any pollution risks.
“On arrival at the remote beach location the vessel could not be located and was assumed to be underwater[9] or had moved locations again.”
References
- ^ Rescuers (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
- ^ Burnham-on-Sea (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
- ^ lifeboat (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
- ^ M5 rolling roadblock in Somerset after ‘police incident’ (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
- ^ channel (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
- ^ RNLI Lifeboats at Burnham-on-Sea (www.facebook.com)
- ^ Barry Dock RNLI (www.facebook.com)
- ^ HM Coastguard Minehead (www.facebook.com)
- ^ underwater (www.somersetlive.co.uk)