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.

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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.

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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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Fortunately, the MCA vessel Falcon was in the vicinity at the time and went to assist. The individual who was pulled from the water had cuts to his hands and head which may require stitching and an ambulance was called to Commercial Fishermans Pontoon where the casualty would be met by paramedics.

The crew of the Falcon remained on scene for a short while, and with a crew from another RIB managed to get the overturned vessel upright. The Dale Coastguard Team were alerted to assist and meet the vessel and casualty when it reached the landing stage.

Kevin Rogers, Watch Manager at Milford Haven Coastguard said

Fortunately the weather seems quite benign today with northwesterly winds of 3 to 4 forecast. However, there is a chop in the water which may affect small boats.

It appears that the man fell out of the rib after hitting a wave – but it appears he was not wearing a kill cord. Therefore the boat continued, but a friend in another rib rammed the empty boat, causing it to capsize and stopping it from possibly causing injury elsewhere.

A kill cord is specifically designed to halt the engine on the rib if something untowards occurs to the driver of the boat. Normally its held round the wrist and attached to the key. Our advice is always to ensure that you have such a kill cord attached in some way to you as the driver. In that way you can prevent any further accident if your rib then speeds off on its own. Fortunately in this instance another nearby rib driver saw what was about to happen and was able to do something about it.

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

An inquest heard the popular 22-year-old had got into difficulties near Claxheugh Rocks.

Sergeant John Hall, from Northumbria Police, was among emergency services called to the scene on September 20.

Michael was already in an ambulance on his way to Sunderland Royal Hospital, but was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.

Sgt Hall said: “It quickly appeared that it had not been an organised event. He had been there in the company of some friends riding jet skis and had been for some time that afternoon.

“They were just about to leave the area when he decided to have one last ride.”

For some reason the jet ski stopped and Michael fell into the water

The police Marine Unit examined the jet ski and said it was in working order and had no defects, although it was old.

However, Sgt Hall added that Michael was not wearing a life vest and the jet-ski did not have a “kill cord”, which attaches from the key to the rider and cuts out the engine if it stops suddenly.

Pathologist Dr Stuart Hamilton said a very small amount of alcohol was found in Michael’s body, but this could have been produced naturally after his death.

He also had cuts and grazes on his forehead, nose and knee, but it not known how these were caused.

Coroner Derek Winter said: “It is clear to me that this was the unintended consequence of an act which was entirely accidental and is appropriate for me to record a verdict of accidental death.

“It also seems to me that the tragedy was compounded by the fact that Michael appeared to have bumped his head and this may have impact his ability to swim to shore.”

Speaking after the inquest, his distraught family, including mum Carole, 49, and brother Mark, 26, as well as girlfriend Michelle Eltringham, 20, said they planned to mark what would have been Michael’s 23rd birthday next week with a family meal before some of his friends and his brother would go back to the scene of the tragedy.

Carole, whose husband Joe could not attend the hearing, pleaded with anyone going into the water to stay safe, as Michael took off his life vest before his fatal last ride.

She also paid tribute to those who battled to save her son, saying: “I would also like to thank everyone involved in the rescue from the bottom of my heart.”

Verdict: accidental death

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“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)

Lifeboat volunteers from Sunderland RNLI lifeboat station scrambled into action shortly before 2pm to assist a Personal Water Craft (PWC) rider who had fallen from his craft half a mile north of Roker Pier.

The vessel was spotted by Sunderland coastwatch about half a mile north of Roker Pier.

The rider, a 39-year-old male from Brierley Hill, West Midlands, managed to swim ashore to safety.

Jon Pollock, lifeboat crew at Sunderland RNLI Station said: ‘The rider explained to the coastguard that he had fallen from his ski, but the safety kill cord did not operate correctly. This caused the ski to continue running heading into the open sea.’

After several attempts the lifeboat helmsman skilfully managed to steer the lifeboat close enough to the moving ski to allow a line to be attached and the engine stopped.

Once the ski was checked for safety, a towline was attached to it from the lifeboat.

The unmanned ski was then taken in tow and taken to Sand Point slipway where it was recovered from the water onto the rider’s trailer.

Jon added: ‘This incident highlights the importance of a fully operational kill cord being onboard watercraft. In this case it was being correctly worn, but failed to operate due to a stiff mechanism. The RNLI recommend that before any watercrafts that are equipped with a kill cord are taken to sea, the operator should deliberately operate the kill cord to confirm it is operating correctly.’

(source)

Volunteers from Sunderland RNLI were alerted after staff at Sunderland Coastwatch reported the riderless machine heading towards the open sea shortly before 2pm.

“The rider explained to the Coastguard that he had fallen from his ski; but the safety kill cord did not operate correctly.
Jon Pollock, Lifeboat Crew at Sunderland RNLI Station

As the Atlantic 85 Inshore lifeboat “Wolseley” was launched, Coastguards arrived at Roker beach and found the rider – a 39-year-old man from Brierley Hill, West Midlands – who had managed to swim ashore.

Jon Pollock, Lifeboat Crew at Sunderland RNLI Station said: “The rider explained to the Coastguard that he had fallen from his ski; but the safety kill cord did not operate correctly.

“This caused the ski to continue running heading into the open sea.” After several attempts the lifeboat Helmsman skilfully managed to steer the lifeboat close enough to the moving jet ski to allow a line to be attached and the engine stopped.

The unmanned jet ski was then taken in tow and taken to Sand Point slipway where it was recovered from the water onto the rider’s trailer.

Mr Pollock said: “This incident highlights the importance of a fully operational kill cord being onboard watercraft. In this case it was being correctly worn, but failed to operate due to a stiff mechanism.

“The RNLI recommend that before any watercrafts which are equipped with a kill cord are taken to sea, the operator should deliberately operate the kill cord to confirm it is operating correctly.”

a registered charity the RNLI relies on voluntary donations and legacies from the public for its income

(source)