Chopper and three lifeboats in rescue (From Echo)

Chopper and three lifeboats in rescue

10:40am Tuesday 5th August 2008 in

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A FAMILY had to be rescued by lifeboat crews when their boat started taking on water.

The two adults and two boys were on board a wooden 36ft converted trawler when they got into difficulty.

Their boat, called Caronel had lost power and had developed a split in its hull.

The Southend RNLI Lifeboat, Whitstable lifeboat and the larger lifeboat from Sheerness were launched, and found them 12 miles from Southend Pier on the Kent flats.

The search and rescue helicopter from Wattisham, which was on exercise in Norfolk, was diverted to the vessel in distress.

A 60-year-old man was airlifted to Queen Elizabeth Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, suffering mild hypothermia.

The other man and the two boys were taken ashore at Shoebury Common by one of the lifeboat.

An operation to prevent the boat from sinking was then mounted by the three lifeboats.

Specialist equipment was used to pump water from the stricken vessel and it was towed back to calmer waters at Benfleet.

Den Freeman, a spokesman for the RNLI, said: “This was a good team effort by three lifeboat crews and the search and rescue helicopter.”