A search operation for a missing crew member of an angling boat which capsized off Torquay has been called off after one person was rescued from the water earlier. The Coastguard scrambled its search and rescue helicopter from Lee-On-The-Solent the RNLI all-weather lifeboat "Alec and Christina Dykes" from Torbay at 10.30am on Friday after receiving a report that the small vessel with two people on board had sunk.
Other nearby boats joined the search operation and one casualty was rescued from the sea and returned to their home in Exmouth, Devon. The search for the outstanding crew member continued until 8.30pm, when the RNLI was stood down.
A Coastguard spokesman said: "HM Coastguard coordinated an extensive search today (Friday, May 19) after a small vessel with two people on board was reported to have sunk off the coast of Torquay. The alarm was raised at about 10.30am, prompting the immediate launch of the Coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Lee-on-Solent, and the RNLI all-weather lifeboat from Torbay.
"During the search nearby vessels assisted alongside Exmouth RNLI all-weather lifeboat, HM Coastguard's fixed wing aircraft, and the Coastguard search and rescue helicopter from St Athan. One casualty was rescued by lifeboat and passed into the care of Devon and Cornwall Police and the South Western Ambulance Service. After thorough searches conducted by all assets, the Coastguard search was terminated at around 7pm."
A RNLI spokesman said: "Yesterday, Friday, May 19, at 10.40am, eight minutes after receiving a 'direct to launch' instruction from Solent Coastguard, our volunteer crew assembled and launched our Severn Class All-weather Lifeboat 'Alec and Christina Dykes' in response to a sinking angling boat eight-and-a-half miles east-north-east of Berry Head. The lifeboat arrived on scene at 11.02am, an angling boat had already sunk leaving floating debris and flotsam.
"Volunteers spotted and recovered a casualty in the water, who was well and was subsequently returned home to Exmouth. We immediately began an expanding square search for the other missing crew member. Also assisting in the search were Exmouth RNLI volunteers aboard their Shannon class lifeboat, four trawlers and yacht, coordinated by Solent Coastguard.
"Two coastguard helicopters and a fixed-wing plane also joined the search, which continued until 3.45pm when Torbay's lifeboat was instructed to investigate a person sighted swimming near Thatcher's Rock. The swimmer did not turn out to be missing crew... and our lifeboat returned to station to refuel and remain on standby. At 8.30pm our volunteers were stood down."
