Rowers rescued after capsizing 920 miles off British coast
Two rowers have been rescued by a ship and plane, after capsizing 920 miles off Land’s End in Cornwall, on the southern tip of the British coast.
The rowers, both from the Faroe Islands, were adrift in a liferaft nearly 800 nautical miles (1,482km) off the Cornish coast, after their rowing vessel capsized and sank.
The rowers were 920 miles off Land’s End, mainland Britain’s most southwesterly point
Teams at the Coastguard’s Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre (JRCC) received a distress signal from the pair’s EPIRB at about 6.10am on Thursday (18 Aug 22).
Rescuers contacted merchant vessels in the area to ask for help, and the closest craft altered its course towards the signal.
The coastguard reports that a Poseidon P8 aircraft from RAF Lossiemouth was also scrambled to the position at about 11.30am. The craft supported the rescue efforts by providing a visual overview of the scene and creating a communication channel back to shore.
It’s reportedly the first time a Poseidon P8 has been used for search and rescue in the UK.
It is the first time a Poseidon P8 has been used for search and rescue. Image courtesy of RAF
The rowers were reported to be in “good health” after the rescue, the coastguard says.
In June, 16 rowers were rescued in round Great Britain challenge, amid deteriorating weather conditions in the Irish Sea.
