FOUR FISHERMEN RESCUED FROM CAPSIZED CRABBER

Brixham Coastguard received a 999 call from a member of the public at 1:30 p.m. on 6 June 2001 who had witnessed the four crewmen of the crabber 'Brenda C' thrown into the water when the vessel capsized near Murray Rocks in Bigbury Bay off the south Devon coast.

The four men managed to cling to two life jackets and two lifebuoys whilst Brixham Coastguard scrambled the Royal Navy rescue helicopter from Culdrose to the scene. The Coastguard RIB from Hope Cove was also launched and the Salcombe RNLI lifeboat was requested to divert whilst assisting a dismasted yacht.

Meanwhile a local authority lifeguard at Sedgewell beach, who also witnessed the accident, launched his surfski and paddled out to the fishermen who hung to the surfski until the Bantham Rescue lifeguards arrived by inflatable boat and took the four to safety. They had been in the water for around ten minutes and had suffered from the cold.

The rescue helicopter then airlifted all four to the Derriford Hospital in Plymouth for health checks.