Lifejacket Saves Life

Saturday, July 11, 2009
Posted 18:45 GMT

A 68 year old local sailor was thrown from his yacht in heavy swells this afternoon whilst sailing in the Firth of Forth.

Forth Coastguard received a radio call from the crew aboard a passing yacht Kismet informing them that the vessel had capsized and the sailor was in the water.

The Kinghorn Coastguard Rescue team were tasked and the Kinghorn inshore RNLI lifeboat was requested to launch,

Bob Abercrombie, Watch Manager Forth Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, said:

The casualty was pulled from the water by the crew aboard the Kismet, and then later transferred to the lifeboat. The casualty was wet and shaken by the incident and as a precautionary measure on arrival at Burntisland was taken by Ambulance to Victoria Hospital.

The outcome of this incident could have been very different, if he had not been wearing a life jacket, it is safe to say the lifejacket saved his life and allowed him to be rescued by the crew of the Kismet.

To learn more about lifejackets visit www.mcga.gov.uk and remember a lifejacket is useless unless worn.
Notes to editors

Notes to Editor:

The MCA is a partner in the Sea Vision UK campaign to raise awareness and understanding of the sea and maritime activities. Sea Vision promotes the importance and economic value of the sector and works to highlight the exciting range of activities and career opportunities available to young people within the UK growing maritime sector. www.seavisionuk.org

For further details contact:
The Maritime & Coastguard Agency Press Office
023 8032 9401