Man dies after fishing boat capsizes off Plymouth; two are rescued
Investigators have confirmed that a fisherman, who went missing after his boat capsized off Plymouth, has died
28 September 2017
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has confirmed that a man, who went missing after a fishing boat capsized off Plymouth, has died.
His body was recovered yesterday.
The man’s two crew mates were rescued in the early hours of yesterday morning after they were found clinging to the upturned hull of the vessel, called Solstice.
In a statement, the MAIB confirmed that it was now “investigating the capsize of the 9.9m UK registered fishing vessel Solstice (PH199) about 9 miles south of Plymouth harbour on 26 September 2017 with the loss of one life.”
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The alarm was raised on Tuesday evening after the Solstice failed to return to port after a fishing trip.
The search and rescue operation involved two Royal Navy warships, a Border Force vessel the Plymouth, Looe and Salcombe RNLI lifeboats, the coastguard search and rescue helicopters from Newquay and Lee-on-Solent and the Plymouth Coastguard Rescue Team.
Other local vessels in the area also assisted in the search before it was suspended.
27 September 2017
The search for a missing fishermen off Plymouth has been suspended pending further information.
It comes following searches overnight after the man’s two crew members were rescued from the upturned hull of their boat, Solstice, around four miles off the Devon coast.
They were picked up by the Plymouth RNLI lifeboat at around 1am this morning (27 September).
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the search for the third fishermen had been “intensive”, but would now be suspended pending further information.
The men had been fishing close to the Eddystone Lighthouse. Credit: Andy Talbot/Wikimedia Commons
The operation involved the coastguard search and rescue helicopters from Newquay and Lee-on-Solent, the Plymouth Coastguard Rescue Team and the Plymouth, Looe and Salcombe RNLI lifeboats.
A Border Force vessel, two Royal Navy warships and other local vessels in the area also helped in the search.
The search began just after 8.30pm yesterday evening after the UK Coastguard received a 999 call reporting that a fishing vessel with three people on board was overdue after fishing near Eddystone Lighthouse, Devon.
The 9.9 metre capsized fishing boat was eventually located 4 miles south of Plymouth by the crew of the coastguard search and helicopter crew from Newquay.
They were found on the upturned hull of their boat.
The fishermen were transferred by the crew of the Plymouth RNLI lifeboat to shore, where they were treated by paramedics with the South Western Ambulance Service.
The incident is being investigated by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch.