[ Kill Cords ]

A woman was rescued by a lifeboat on its 2,000th mission after she fell into the middle of the river from her boat.

The stranded sailor was unable to re-enter her tin fish boat, a small two man craft, on Thursday morning (February 23).

Chiswick RNLI crew said the boat’s engine was still running and the boat travelling round in circles, meaning it could either knock the woman out or injure her with its engine.

Constance Pidoux, said she was surprised to be at the heart of such special launch.

She said: “From now on I will wear a kill cord so that if I ever fall from the boat again, the engine will automatically cut out.

“Massive thanks to the crew for their prompt assistance. They were really friendly and helpful.”

By the time the crew reached the spot in the Thames between Chiswick and Hammersmith, Ms Pidoux had swam safely to shore.

Glen Monroe, Helmsman of Chiswick lifeboat, said: ‘We were obviously concerned at the initial reports that the boat was going around in circles, as that would have posed a real threat to the woman in the water. Our concern was that she might be struck by it, which could have injured her or knocked her unconscious.

“Fortunately, when we arrived on scene the boat had come to a stop, and the woman had swum to the shore.

“She was very well prepared, wearing appropriate clothing, boots, a buoyancy aid and a lifejacket, so she was more shocked than anything else.’

Another tin fish vessel collected her stranded boat and the lifeboat crew collected Ms Pidoux and returned her to Latymer Rowing Club in Hammersmith.

It was the 2,000 rescue mission since the lifeboat station was established in January 2002.

It also coincides with the tenth anniversary of the four lifeboat stations on the tidal reaches of the River Thames.

(source)

A father and son have been injured after being thrown from their boat off the coast of Cornwall.

Brixham Coastguard said the two men, aged 41 and 25 and from Stoke-on-Trent, were then run over twice by the boat’s outboard motor.

The alarm was raised by members of the public who witnessed the accident at Pentewan Sands, near Mevagissey.

The father and son suffered serious head and leg injuries and were taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro.

The father was airlifted by helicopter, while his son was transferred by land ambulance.

They are believed to be in a serious but stable condition.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said the men were thrown from their 17ft (5m) dory at about 1520 BST.

Spokesman Nick Ratcliff said: “It seems the vessel had somehow hit the bottom and thrown both father and son out, and the uncontrolled boat had then circled, hitting them both twice. They had both been hit by the boat’s propeller. We urgently recommend to boaters that the kill cord [which cuts the engine if pulled] be attached around your leg or securely to your personal buoyancy aid. In either case it should not foul the steering or gear controls.”

The MCA said the Marine Accident Investigation Branch has been informed and the boat taken away for investigation.

British powerboat champion Shelley Jory-Leigh miraculously escaped a dramatic crash which saw her co-driver flung into the air at 90mph.

The 40-year-old sportswoman’s boat hit a freak wave and nearly upended, catapulting her colleague Patrick Huybreghts nearly 100ft into the sea and into the path of oncoming boats.

Shelley was thrown around the boat like a ‘rag doll’ while her Belgian co-driver was hurled against her head before being thrown out of the speeding vessel.

The Southampton-based racer radioed for help as she feared 53-year-old Patrick, who was unconscious in the racing line, would be mowed down by another powerboat.

The pair were rescued, with Patrick being plucked from the water, and they were taken to hospital but remarkably both escaped serious injury.

Race bosses restrict competitors to a 90mph speed limit as they fear an accident above that could prove fatal.

Speaking about the ordeal, Shelley – the only woman pilot in the World Championship – said the trauma caused her to collapse after they were rescued during the race near Valetta in Malta.

Shelley, who steers while Patrick controls the boat’s throttle, said: ‘We are so very lucky we are still both in one piece.

‘It’s the worst accident I’ve had in terms of injuries. We were absolutely gunning it at the time.

‘When I saw the video of what had happened I was surprised I was walking and talking. It was genuinely shocking and frightening to watch.

‘This was about as fast as you can have an accident – we just about pushed it to the limit.’

The pair were competing on the third day of racing in Valetta for rounds three and four of the Powerboat GPS World Championship.

The team, called Spirit of Belgium, were in second place and on course to win the weekend event when disaster struck on lap nine of the 16 lap race.

Shelley said: ‘We were flat out at 87mph and came round a mark which was not a particularly hard corner but it was a bit rough and I think we hit a freak wave.

‘The boat dug in and went down on the left side and Patrick was hurled on top of me, then we went into a pendulum action and the boat threw us to the right.

‘That’s when it catapulted Patrick out that side. As soon as he was thrown out, the kill cord stopped the engine and then I radioed for help.

‘My biggest fear was that I could see him in the racing line and he wasn’t waving his arms so I realised he was unconscious.

‘It was like Lewis Hamilton being laid out in the middle of a Formula One track but he had a bright orange crash helmet on and thankfully he was not hit.

‘A safety fleet was sent out to rescue us and get Patrick out of the water. Once the doctor came on board I just collapsed and was concussed for two hours. I could feel my entire body shutting down.’

Shelley’s 42 year old husband Trevor Leigh, a race engineer, watched the drama unfold but was ‘remarkably calm’, she said.

Patrick and Shelley were both released from hospital and she is back at home. Both suffered severe bruising, concussion and whiplash. The boat was undamaged.

Shelley added: ‘If you prod me anywhere it feels bruised, even my hands and feet, and it even hurts to brush my hair.

‘I think the first time we are both back in the boat we will feel a little uneasy but we will try to get out there as soon as we can to find our confidence again.’

The team are still in second place in the World Championship and race next in Sardinia in July.

(source)

A BOATMAN from Flushing has been found guilty of being drunk in charge of his vessel and failing to avoid a collision which destroyed a £20,000 yacht.

[...]

However, during the trip the boat struck a buoy and they were thrown into the water and later rescued by an RNLI lifeboat crew.

With no kill cord – which would be attached to the boat driver’s body and cut the engine when pulled – the RIB continued and smashed into a nearby yacht, gouging a hole in the side and sinking it.

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At 10.25 this morning Milford Haven Coastguard were alerted by the Port Authority to a small rigid inflatable boat which had overturned near the semlogistics number 2 berth tipping the lone occupant into the water. (more…)

A jet-skier drowned after an accident on the River Wear, an inquest heard.

Michael Scott, from Springwell, Sunderland, died in hospital after he was pulled from the water at South Hylton. (more…)

“Well, carrying on from KY’s nightmare day a few weeks ago, today it was my turn. We launched from Oreston slip at Plymouth with the intention of going up the Yealm and having lunch at the Ship Inn.

First problem of the day, the bloody battery was dead and therefore couldn’t start the engine, no problem i thought i will get the jump leads out start her from my friends RC4.8. It then dawned on me that due to my car breaking down this week they were in the boot that was in the garage some 30 miles away. No problem i will go and buy some, so off im went and came back with yet another set of jump leads. Next problem the leads were not long enough so out came the battery whilst trying to hold the battery and leads on at the same time, some relief when she eventually fired up.

So, we were away, beautiful day, sun shining sea relatively calm this is what winter ribbing is about…..WRONG!!!

Just as we were on the run in to the Yealm at about 30 knots the boat chine walked and next thing i knew, i was flying through the air straight in the water. BUGGER, as i surfaced i noticed my girlfriend about 10 m away with the boat what seemed like some 30m plus away (thank god for kill cords). Both our life jackets automatically inflated which i dont know was a good or bad thing, all i know is i could hardly make progress trying to get to her. Luckily my friend who was playing about and although he didn’t see the incident eventually noticed something wasn’t quite right and was on scene instantly.

We clambered aboard the RC and was eventually repatriated with the SR4. Cold and shaken we headed back into Plymouth flat out as my concern was to get out of the wet clothing as we started to chill rapidly.

Heading back to shore i started the mental reconstruction of what went wrong, it happened all so quick i still dont know what actually caused the boat to catapult us both out, especially as it was bloody calm but it happened. I was so glad that on this occassion i was out with a friend as although not potentially life threatening the water was pretty cold and wouldn’t want to be in it for too long.

Anyway, i am not after sympathy or anything but reiterating the use of kill cords, lifejackets and never to be complacent with the sea or your own ability. I look back on it now and p**s myself laughing but today has taught me that anything can and will happen when you least expect it to.”

(source)

A north-east lifeboat officer has warned powerboat and jetski owners to test their kill cord mechanisms before putting to sea after a potentially deadly runaway jetski incident was avoided on Friday. (more…)

A LIFEBOAT was launched this afternoon after an unmanned jet ski was spotted still under power about half a mile north of Roker Pier, Sunderland. (more…)

Following two life-threatening incidents last week within a span of five days, the Coast Guard is warning mariners of the risk they’re taking when they don’t properly use a vessel’s engine “kill cord.” USCG describes the device as a lanyard, similar to those found on treadmills, designed for one end to attach to the boat and the other end to attach to the operator so that if the person falls overboard, the engine will immediately disable. (more…)