Cowes Lifeboat searches for one woman and finds another
Cowes RNLI lifeboat was this evening (Aug 19) involved in a search for a missing woman in the Ryde area, only then to be tasked to Wootton Creek some two miles away to assist a woman pulled unconscious from the sea.
It is understood the two incidents were apparently completely unconnected.
The lifeboat was first launched to go to Ryde at 6.35 pm, after reports of a missing woman. The crew carried out a thorough search both around and under the pier. Also in the area were Isle of Wight coastguards and Wight Search and Rescue.
Eventually, with no sign of the woman, Cowes lifeboat was then asked to help a woman pulled from Wootton Creek in the area of Wightlink’s Fishbourne ferry terminal.
Lifeboat helm Myles Hussey said, “When we arrived we found she had already been pulled unconscious from the sea by members of the public and was on the shore just by the ferries’ linkspan. Apparently she was not the one we had been searching for at Ryde, which made this double shout most odd.”
Another crew member, Dr Will King, started resuscitation procedures, soon joined by paramedics. She was then stretchered onto the lifeboat and taken to the nearby Royal Victoria Yacht Club pontoon where she was transferred to an ambulance and taken to St Mary’s Hospital.
“It was very fortunate she had been spotted by members of the public, particularly with the added danger of being run down by the car ferry,” said Will.
Also at Fishbourne were coastguard rescue teams from Bembridge and Ventnor, and the police.
Cowes lifeboat returned to station at 8.37 pm.
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