Salcombe lifeboat launch to two people in liferaft after fishing vessel sinks

A report came in from a local Salcombe crabber shortly after 9am that they could see another vessel listing to one side and then sink.

The UK Coastguard authorised the immediate launch of the Salcombe all-weather lifeboat and the volunteer crew arrived on-scene six miles south east of Salcombe.

The fishing vessel that made the initial report also made its way to the location and found the two fishermen inside the liferaft and took them onboard.

The crew of the Salcombe lifeboat arrived and the two fishermen and life raft were transferred. Both fishermen were taken back to Salcombe Lifeboat Station and are doing well following their experience.

Salcombe Lifeboat Coxswain Chris Winzar said: ‘If the vessel that reported the boat sinking hadn’t seen them if could have been a different story and they could have been in the liferaft much longer. The crew were well prepared and had life jackets on as we took them onboard the lifeboat.’

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