Cowes lifeboat in late-night festival river rescue
Three people who suffered cold shock after capsizing from a rowing boat close to the Isle of Wight Music Festival site, led to a late-night rescue operation by Cowes RNLI lifeboat and Ventnor coastguards.
It was thought the trio had earlier travelled up the River Medina to witness The Killers who had headed the festival’s Sunday night programme at Seaclose.
After the capsizing two of the occupants, a middle-aged man and woman, were rescued by another boat. The third occupant managed to eventually scramble, exhausted, to the west bank, close to Newport Rowing Club.
The man and woman were transferred to the lifeboat and with the help of the Ventnor coastguards they were carried through the mud to reach the west bank, where they could join their companion. The three were taken by waiting ambulances to St Mary’s Hospital.
Lifeboat helm, Mark Harker, “They were very cold and stunned and because it was dark there was a good chance they could have been hit by one of the other boats milling around at the end of the festival.’’
The lifeboat had launched for the rescue just after midnight.
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