Sea claims 2 more

[codprawn]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/4645099.stm

"A grandfather and his nine-year-old grandson have died in a sea angling accident off the north Wales coast.
They were thrown into the water when the family's 14-ft dinghy capsized off Puffin Island, Anglesey, and had severe hypothermia before they were found."

They were ALL wearing lifejackets!!!

Who would think extreme cold in the middle of summer???

The father and 12 year old brother survived - just imagine the guilt and feelings the poor people will have to live with - doesn't bear thinking about. Just hope they won't be subjected to a witch hunt.

Don't know how long they were in the water - probably even if they had flares and maybe vhf they would have been lost when the boat flipped.

Apparently force 6 with 1.5m waves - probably marginal conditions for a 14ft hard dinghy but then again they may have been in a sheltered bay or something.

thoughts most definitely with the poor family!!!

[stedj]

sad

[Pookay]

Summer or not the sea tempreture around the British Isles is still pretty cold.

Bodies lose heat at an enormous rate in water far faster than in still air, and the cold debilitates - any one tried fastening zips or other fine manual tasks with cold fingers??

It also impares the brain - so perhaps you don't think so quickly.. Kiddies have larger surface areas for heir weight and so lose heat more quickly and the elderly have problems, for various reasons maintaing heat too...

Very sad, but these things happen in or rather out of boats. You weigh up the risk etc and then proceed with what you feel is safe - generally, no one deliberately puts themselves in danger. If others learn from things like this, then perhaps more will be safe.

I am sure, however, in many cases it is "there but for the grace of God" it hasn't.... I for one probably wouldn't have worn a dry/flotation/survival suit in the summer despite knowing the sea is still bloody cold for prolonged immersion.

Condolences to the family..

Pookay.

[The Jackeens]

Originally Posted by codprawn

thoughts most definitely with the poor family!!!

Hear hear

Very sad story

missus

[peteb]

Very, very sad, but this takes me back to thoughts on whether or not I should have a life raft. The liferafts are so cheap now £400 or so for a valise I guess you would be forever scarred if something happened and you had chosen not to get one. Even a half mile from shore with a child on board and something drastic happens, hit a submerged object e.t.c. you don't have much time to get organised, a lesson for us all to review our safety proceedures I reckon, just in case.

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by peteb

Very, very sad, but this takes me back to thoughts on whether or not I should have a life raft. The liferafts are so cheap now £400 or so for a valise I guess you would be forever scarred if something happened and you had chosen not to get one. Even a half mile from shore with a child on board and something drastic happens, hit a submerged object e.t.c. you don't have much time to get organised, a lesson for us all to review our safety proceedures I reckon, just in case.

About the only thing that can happen to a RIB is a capsize - how would you then launch the liferaft???

[gingercoastie]

Not to up on the world of liferafts, but shurely it would have a hydrostatic release, and therefore would launch itself.

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by gingercoastie

Not to up on the world of liferafts, but shurely it would have a hydrostatic release, and therefore would launch itself.

If it did it would be trapped under the boat!!!

Read the safety report I posted somewhere about the RIB capsize carrying 12 pax - makes interesting reading.

[gavin]

Is this the inncident which happened yesterday afternoon, we were listing to radio transmissions from RAF Valley and Holyhead Coastguard, in our Lifeboat station yesterday afternoon, in Dun Laoghaire, on channel 0.We had 3 launches within maybe an hour, as the Welsh inncident unfolded, and Howth Lifeboat put to sea also around 3-4 pm it all kicked off.

[codprawn]

Seems like they were in the water 3 hrs - just goes to show you need flares and vhf in your pockets NOT just somewhere on the boat!!!