Boy's quick-thinking Mayday call saves grandfather from Cornish sea

David Richards with grandson Henry on Sunday having recovered from their ordeal

A skipper has told of the moment his grandson's quick thinking saved him from the sea after he fell overboard during a boat race in Cornwall.

David Richards said he was treading water 200m (650ft) from his boat, for "about 20 minutes" on Saturday.

Left aboard alone, Grandson Henry, 13, steadied the yacht and called Mayday, triggering a rescue operation from nearby Fowey.

Mr Richards, 70, who was left cold but uninjured, said: "Henry was a star.

"I was astonished at what a good job he did, he's always been a hero - but he's even more of one now.

"He called out the lifeboat, he kept his head, he did the business."

Henry had read an instruction book on how to make a Mayday call just two weeks earlier

Henry's call triggered a Coastguard rescue operation including a helicopter, RNLI lifeboat and in-shore lifeboat from Fowey to their location off Gribben Head.

Mr Richards, who also thanked the coastguard and RNLI, was taken by ambulance to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro for a check-up, where he was given the all-clear.

Henry, from Par, Fowey, who turned 13 this month, has been sailing since he was six.

He had read a booklet on how to use a marine radio to make an emergency call just a fortnight earlier, his mum said.

Henry added: "It was worrying because I thought my grandad might get really cold.

"I was a bit scared to be left on the boat because I couldn't properly control it...I had to stop it."

Henry, who managed to stay calm and take down the sail before finding the right radio channel to make the call, added: "I feel good because I think I did the right thing."

David Richards and Henry during an earlier race in the series

Henry and his grandfather were competing in the second phase of the Fowey Opal Series in his Beneteau First 18 Yacht on Saturday afternoon when the incident unfolded.

Mr Richards, an experienced sailor, said they were "trying to make up time" in the race when a gust of wind and a swell meant they lost control of the spinnaker, causing him to fall into the sea.

Jimmy Hoddinott from Fowey RNLI said they received the call at 15:30 BST before launching the rescue operation and recovering Mr Richards from the water.

He said Mr Richards had been in the water for 20 minutes and was "in shock", and was looked over by paramedics after swallowing seawater.

He added: "Henry, bless him, was just so calm.

"For him not to be in bits at that point was quite amazing."

He said he helped Henry get the boat back under control , adding: "Henry sailed back in like it was a normal day, it was quite amazing."

Henry was given a tour of the Fowey Lifeboat Station

Henry's dad Robin Cotgreave said: "It's one thing to know what you are supposed to do in a situation like that but it's another thing to actually do it.

"Henry did exactly what he needed to do in that situation to ensure his grandfather's safety."

Mum Ellen Richards from Par near Fowey said it was just two weeks earlier that Henry had learnt the radio protocol for emergencies.

She added: "Everybody is so proud of Henry - he was absolutely amazing."

HM Coastguard confirmed it had deployed a rescue helicopter, RNLI lifeboat and in-shore lifeboat from Fowey to a sailing boat off Gribbin Gead after reports of a man falling overboard.

It added: "A passing RIB vessel heard the mayday call, located the man in the water.

"The casualty was retrieved from the water by the RNLI lifeboat and recovered to shore where he is being checked over by ambulance crews."