Two Boys Rescued after Clinging to Buoy

Thursday, June 04, 2009
Posted 01:04 GMT

At half past seven this evening, Humber Coastguard received a 999 call reporting two boys clinging to a navigation buoy marking the channel into Hartlepool docks.

During the process of Humber Coastguard calling out Hartlepool Coastguard Rescue Team and inshore lifeboat, a report came in from the lifeboat station reporting that they had seen a fishing vessel rescuing the boys from the buoy.

The two boys were landed at Hartlepool fish quay by the fishing vessel. The inshore lifeboat recovered the craft that the two teenage boys had put to sea in.

It was a canoe that was literally falling apart, the deck had separated from the hull of the canoe, and the boys had lost the oar.

The boys were dressed in swimming trunks and had been clinging to the navigation buoy for fifteen minutes after their canoe took on water and capsized.

Humber Coastguard called the fishing vessel on VHF Marine radio without any response.

Graham Dawson, Humber Coastguard said:

The two teenage boys were ill prepared for their canoeing activity. The vessel was not fit to put to sea. They had no life saving apparatus of any kind and were not suitably clothed.

They were fortunate that the skipper of the fishing vessel spotted them and recovered them from their predicament. The outcome of this incident could have been a lot worse.

We ask that if you rescue someone from a distress situation, that you inform the Coastguard to prevent rescue services unnecessarily searching after individuals have already been recovered.

If you do see someone in trouble at the coast, dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

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