Air and sea search in Solent for missing men
An incident in which a jet-ski rider and a man water-skiing behind ended up in the water sparked a cross-Solent rescue operation this evening.
Involved were Cowes RNLI lifeboat, a Coastguard helicopter, a Southampton Harbour launch and on-shore Coastguards at Hillhead.
It appeared that the man on the jet-ski, and then the water-skiier, ended up in the water; But the driver-less jet-ski carried on, only to be finally captured by a Southampton harbour launch.
Concern that the two men were unaccounted for then led to an air and sea search, which finally ended when both men managed to safely swim ashore at Hillhead. The men also got their runaway jet-ski back, when it was towed to the shore by the lifeboat.
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.
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