Lifejacket faults spark RNLI warning

Simon Linsley says the RNLI checked 803 lifejackets, finding faults in 523 of them

The RNLI is encouraging people to check their lifejackets are working correctly before heading out to sea.

The life-saving charity said members checked 803 lifejackets in the south-west of England last year and found 523 of them had faults.

The warning comes after three experienced sailors were recently rescued when their boat capsized within sight of the lifeboat station at Salcombe, Devon.

Salcombe water safety officer Simon Linsley said they were all wearing lifejackets but only one worked correctly.

"If they had been 300m (985ft) further down the estuary, they would have been in serious trouble - the outcome could have been very different," he said.

Mr Linsley said two of the lifejackets had serious faults, with one having no gas in a cylinder, meaning it had already been fired.

"The guy who took it wouldn't have known any different. The other one didn't deploy properly and the only one that did inflate... we were a bit concerned about the state of that one when he came to shore."

A lifejacket worn by recently rescued sailor had a red marker at the top of its gas cylinder, indicating it had been fired

The RNLI advised people should check their own lifejackets and every time before use and also at least every six months.

People who were unsure of how to maintain their lifejackets effectively could seek advice at their local lifeboat stations, it added.