Boats Launched : Atlantic 85 and D-Class
Date : Saturday 22 November
Launched at : 13:45
Returned at : 15:00
Weather : Light Southerly F3 wind but cold and with heavy rain.
Local windsurfer Sean Boyle from Hilsea was windsurfing in Langstone Harbour on Saturday Nov 22 and according to his friend and other windsurfers he was looking forward to enjoying his favourite pastime. UK Coastguard requested we launch as they had a reported serious incident. The D-Class was launched and went to Hayling Bridge but was then re-directed to the area in Langstone Harbour behind the Esso Garage, a popular bay and safe for windsurfing. The Atlantic 85 was also launched to back up the D-Class and they discovered that Portsmouth Lifeboat had also been launched and all arrived on the scene together.
A sailing dinghy crew had spotted a windsurfer rig floating in the water with no-one around but shortly after this discovered a body face down in the water. They managed to get the body on board their dinghy, raised the alarm and took him ashore. Hayling First Responders were rapidly on scene and an Ambulance crew arrived and together they tried to resuscitate the casualty. The Coastguard Helicopter was paged as it was clear the situation was very serious. Mr Boyle was taken by helicopter to QA Hospital but sadly was declared dead on arrival, possibly from a cardiac arrest.
The Hayling Lifeboats recovered the windsurfing rig and handed it over to the Police on the scence. Both local windsurfers and the RNLI crews have expressed their shock and sadness that this incident has claimed the life of a seemingly fit and healthy 53yr old local man.
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