Three people rescued after fishing boat sinks

RNLI Torbay said on Facebook it attended the rescue, about 14 miles north-east of Berry Head, with RNLI Exmouth

Three people on board a fishing boat have been rescued after their vessel sank off Devon's coast.

The coastguard said a mayday call was received from a Brixham-based boat at about 21:20 BST on Tuesday.

RNLI Torbay said on Facebook it attended the rescue, about 14 miles (23km) north-east of Berry Head, with RNLI Exmouth.

A coastguard spokesperson said that, along with the RNLI crews and a rescue helicopter, a call was also put out to nearby vessels to help.

The spokesperson said: "The crew was recovered by the Exmouth lifeboat before being transferred to the Torbay lifeboat and brought safe and well to Brixham Harbour."

'Especially personal' rescue

Torbay RNLI, which is based in Brixham, said on Facebook: "The incident had all happened very quickly, allowing only moments for the crew to get out their short distress call, release their life raft and abandon ship before she keeled over and sank."

It said those on the fishing boat, who were known to the RNLI station, contacted them directly by phone, which made the rescue attempt "especially personal".

Torbay RNLI added the three people were cold but did not require any medical assistance.

Safety equipment 'important'

Exmouth RNLI coxswain Steve Hockings-Thompson said conditions during the rescue were choppy, but, because of the safety equipment the sinking boat's crew had on board, they were able to rescue them swiftly.

Mr Hockings-Thompson said: "We were able to see their flares at quite a distance and reach them quickly.

"Luckily, they had all the correct safety equipment on board that can make all the difference."

Helen Lovell-Smith, the Devon area officer for the Fishermen's Mission charity, echoed these thoughts around safety equipment, such as life jackets and emergency position-indicating radiobeacon (EPIRBs).

She said: "It really highlights how important it is that when fishermen go to sea that they wear their life jackets at all times, especially when on deck, and if they have EPIRBs that they set them off because the local lifeboats were able to locate the guys and bring them home safely to their families."