Fatality after boat hits island in darkness

Tuesday 19 May 2009 04:22
Maritime And Coastguard Agency (National)




At 11.30 pm yesterday evening, Clyde Coastguard were alerted by members of the public to a speedboat which had gone out from Tobermory and a loud bang had been heard with a light flashing afterwards in the darkness.

Immediately the Coastguard put an emergency response into action and contacted nearby vessels to see if they could spot or hear anything on the emergency VHF Channel 16 locally.

The Coastguard were then alerted by the boat's occupants that the 6.5 metre blue rigid hulled inflatable boat had hit the north end of Calve Island, and that one of the four individuals on board was seriously injured with head injuries. He was not conscious. Two other men on board the boat were reported to have suffered minor head injuries. All of the four were on holiday in the area at the time.

The weather on scene was flat calm and some light rain.

All of the men on board were wearing dry suits but no lifejackets. The vessel was by this time on rocks in Tobermory Bay and had lost all electrics. No other vessel could be seen around them. A rescue helicopter - R177 - from the Royal Naval Air Station at Prestwick was scrambled and the Tobermory lifeboat was also requested to launch. The Tobermory Coastguard Rescue Team were also sent to the area.

The Coastguard then instructed the boats occupants to use a torch to shine towards lifeboat to direct them onto the wrecked boat. An ambulance had also been directed towards the lifeboat station. All of the men were then brought ashore by lifeboat.

Once ashore, paramedics and a doctor continued to work on the middle aged man but to no avail, and he was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.

The remaining men were taken by ambulance to hospital on Mull for further treatment.

Tarilk Yassin, Watch Manager at Clyde Coastguard said

"The Police have been informed and are currently on scene investigating the incident."