COASTGUARD
NEWS - SCOTLAND & NI  |
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Scotland & NI 173/01 23 July 2001 BOATING INCIDENT NEARLY TURNS TO TRAGEDY Clyde Coastguard received a 999 call at 3.30p.m on 20 July 2001 reporting that two children were struggling in a small rowing boat north of Ardrossan Harbour. Coastguard immediately requested the RNAS Prestwick rescue helicopter to the scene along with the Troon Lifeboat and the Ardrossan Coastguard Rescue Team. The fishing vessel 'Valhalla' also joined the search. A child was quickly located in Ardrossan Harbour, half submerged at the foreshore and getting out of the water. The helicopter landed on the beach to speak to a group of children aged about 11 or 12, who were gathered round, but all of them including the child at the foreshore rapidly left the scene. Dave Thompson, Watch Manager said, "On closer investigation it was found that the boat had been taken from the harbour without the permission of its owner. It was unseaworthy and full of holes. This incident could so easily have turned to tragedy. It is very dangerous for children to be left unsupervised with boats and with no proper safety equipment. We would also ask owners to safely secure boats in order to prevent incidents such as these occurring." |
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