Local News
Maiden Voyage Ends in Rescue by Redcar RNLI
The maiden voyage of a newly-purchased personal water craft ended with its rider being rescued by the Redcar RNLI lifeboat on Saturday 20 June 2015.
The rider, a man from the South Bank area near Middlebrough, was taking the jetski - for its first outing when it capsized near the Teesside Wind Farm, off Redcar. Seawater entered the engine and electrics, disabling the craft.
The rider then drifted for nearly two hours without any means of raising the alarm, before a member of the public dialled 999 to UK Coastguard.
The lifeboat launched at around 4.15pm and found the man 10 minutes later close to the South Gare. He was taken aboard the lifeboat and was brought back to Redcar with his craft being towed behind the lifeboat.
Dave Cocks from Redcar RNLI said: 'The rider was taking the craft out for the first time after buying it 24 hours earlier.
"Unfortunately he capsized near the windfarm, and while trying to right the craft water got into the engine. He didn't have a VHF radio or flares, or even a mobile phone with him to raise the alarm.
"He told the lifeboat crew he'd been drifting for nearly two hours. Fortunately a member of the public saw him as he drifted closer and closer to the South Gare and called UK Coastguard.
"He later told coastguard officers that he'd taken in a bit of water during his mishap so he was given appropriate medical advice."
