Skegness Magazine

Yarmouth Coastguard was alerted this morning by Butlins security guards, to a white dinghy which appeared to be in difficulty about half a mile offshore. According to reports, a person was seen to be clinging to the side of the vessell.
Skegness lifeboat was immediatley requested to investigate, and a rescue helicopter was sent to the scene from RAF Wattisham.
Two men were pulled from the sea by the lifeboat crew and were taken to Boston Pilgrim Hospital. Both men were suffering from hypothermia.

Tony Garbutt, Watch Manager at Yarmouth Coastguard said that lifejackets were not being worn by the two men who had got into difficulty. He also said if the two male casualties, who were from the Lincoln area, had been immersed in sea water for much longer, their condition would have been regarded as critical as the sea temperature at this time of year is about 14 deg C.
The older man was detained in hospital for observation.

The Coastguard thanked the security staff at Butlins for their vigilance in reporting the incident.