48 people rescued from sinking birdwatching boat

NEARLY 50 people including young children have been rescued after a boat taking birdwatchers to a Welsh island hit rocks and started to sink.

The Lady Helen ferry was carrying 48 passengers on a day trip to Skomer off the west coast.
The two crew handed out lifejackets as they put out a Mayday call to other boats in the area, including its sister ship, the Dale Princess.
Forty of the passengers were helped into local diving, fishing and pleasure boats.

Rescued birdwatcher Robert Watson, 48, said: “It was a bit frightening, we heard a sort of crunching noise and the boat came to a stop, although the engine was still running. “The crew were very professional - they kept everyone calm and we didn’t have to wait more than a few minutes before we could see the first of the rescue boats.
“But everyone was asking how we managed to hit the rocks - the boat has been back and forth from the mainland thousands of times.”
Diver Dr Pauline Smith who picked up passengers on a friend’s boat, said: “We were on our way out for the day when the mayday call was put out.
“The Lady Helen was going from Martin’s Haven to Skomer and it had run aground on some rocks between the island.
“A number of boats had to go to its rescue. We had quite a few children and elderly ladies on our boat. They said the boat was listing in the water.

Puffin ... Skomer is popular with birdwatchers

“The children were initially a bit scared but once we handed them a Twix each they were fine.” The Dale Princess managed to put a line over to the Lady Helen and tow it ashore.
Coastguards said everyone on board was accounted for and there were no injuries in the 1pm rescue.
The boat transports passengers between the coastal inlet of Martin’s Haven and Skomer, famous for its colonies of puffins and Manx Shearwater seabirds.
The licensed vessel was used by TV birdwatcher and former Goodie Bill Oddie when he visited the island this year.
Prince Charles has also been on the Lady Helen while visiting the island, two miles off Pembrokeshire.
The ferry passes the entrance to Jack Sound, one of the roughest stretches of water on the British coast.
But it is understood it was coming into the entrance of Martin’s Haven when it hit underwater rocks.
Milford Haven coastguard said all 48 passengers were “safely ashore with no injuries”.
Spokesman Barry Yelland said: “Everyone has done an excellent job carrying out this rescue, including all the various vessels that responded.”

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