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Crew members missing after fishing boat capsizes off Kent coast One crew member dies after fishing boat capsizes off Kent coast
(35 minutes later)
An extensive search is under way for two fishermen after their vessel capsized in the middle of the Channel on Tuesday night. One crew member has died after a fishing vessel carrying three people capsized in the middle of the Channel, with one person still missing a day later.
One man was found clinging to the hull of the overturned boat by a passing vessel at about 7.45am on Wednesday – nine hours after the boat capsized off the Kent coast at about 11pm. A Belgian-registered boat got into trouble off the Kent coast on Tuesday night, and two of the crew were rescued by a coastguard helicopter based at Lydd.
The man was airlifted by the coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Lydd and taken to the William Harvey hospital at Ashford. His condition remains unclear, but he told rescuers two of his fellow crew members were missing. One of those rescued was taken from the water but later died in hospital; the other had been winched to safety from the stricken boat.
Coastguards are carrying out a search for the crew members, but fears are mounting that they have been trapped in the wreckage or swept away by the tide. A spokeswoman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said the search area extended from Ramsgate through to the mid-Channel area. The search for the third crew member was called off at about 4.30pm beause of the failing light. The lifeboats returned to their stations, and it was unclear whether the search would continue on Thursday.
The coastguard search and rescue helicopter based at Lydd, lifeboats from Ramsgate and Harwich and the coastguard rescue team from Margate have been scrambled to join the search for the Belgian-registered boat. The incident came to light earlier in the day, when the first person rescued was found clinging to the hull of the overturned boat by a passing vessel at about 7.45am – nine hours after the boat capsized off the Kent coast at about 11pm. The man was airlifted and taken to the William Harvey hospital at Ashford.
Coastguards carried out a search for the crew members, and a spokeswoman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said the search area extended from Ramsgate to the mid-Channel area.
On Wednesday afternoon, the exposed hull of the vessel could be seen in the water with most of it submerged. Rescuers found the overturned wreckage empty, leading to fears that the men had been swept away by the tide on a night where sea temperatures dropped to as low as 5C.
The coastguard search and rescue helicopter based at Lydd, lifeboats from Ramsgate and Harwich and the coastguard rescue team from Margate were scrambled to join the search for the Belgian-registered boat. It is not known whether the crew were British nationals.
John Ray, a spokesman for Ramsgate lifeboat station, said: “There was a crew of three onboard the vessel. Only one has so far been rescued.”John Ray, a spokesman for Ramsgate lifeboat station, said: “There was a crew of three onboard the vessel. Only one has so far been rescued.”
It is understood that the incident happened suddenly, because the crew members made no contact with the coastguard. The vessel was 17 metres long, Ray added.It is understood that the incident happened suddenly, because the crew members made no contact with the coastguard. The vessel was 17 metres long, Ray added.
“Both of Ramsgate’s lifeboats are out there, the helicopter is back on the scene and they’re conducting a box search, which moves out further and further.”“Both of Ramsgate’s lifeboats are out there, the helicopter is back on the scene and they’re conducting a box search, which moves out further and further.”
Kaimes Beasley, the duty controller for UK Coastguard, said: “One person was found on the upturned hull and rescued but we understand there were other crew on board. We are currently searching for these missing crew with a number of search units.”