Wednesday 6th April
Capsized Canadian Canoes
A party of people 10 adults which included instructors, who were
from a local outdoor centre, were out in the harbour on a team building
exercise. The weather conditions were not pleasant; there was a
SW 4-5 wind and the waters were choppy. The canoeists were around
the back of the harbour in South Deep at the back of Brownsea Island
when their canoes were swamped by the worsening weather conditions
and they found themselves in trouble.
They had a safety boat escorting them but this was swamped as well
when the cold and wet group tried to take refuge on it, fortunately
for them at that moment the "Furzey Squirrel" a local
barge that is used by BP to transport people and equipment from
the Quay across to Furzey Island BP Oil platform was passing and
went to help them they took everybody on board to shelter from the
cutting wind out icy water.
Both Boats launched to a report of 10 people in the water, whilst
on the way to the casualties the "Furzey Squirrel" had
picked up the casualties, the ALB liaised with the "Furzey
Squirrel" and transferred the casualties off onto the ALB.
The casualties were very cold extremely wet and two were asthmatic,
there was concern for one lady in particular who appeared poorly
and quite unwell so an ambulance was requested to standby at the
Lifeboat Station, first aid was administered to the lady.
The ambulance took the casualties to Poole hospital to be checked
up.
The Inshore Lifeboat went to the scene of the incident and collected
up all the debris and boats which they then took ashore so they
could be collected by the outdoor centre later.
Conditions in the harbour were quite choppy there was a south westerly
4-5 wind blowing and if it was not for the fact that the Furzey
Squirrel was in the area at the right time the people would have
been in a lot more trouble.
ILB Helmsman Holly Phillips
Crew Stuart Newcombe, Danny Hawkes
ALB Coxswain Mark Cole
Crew Andy Elton - Mechanic,
Paul Singleton, Mike Hallard, Mike Haw, Simon Mumford, Richard Skerman
Shore Helper Anne Millman
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