Five people, including a child, saved from a sinking speedboat today were lucky to be alive - not one was wearing a lifejacket, according to coastguards
An RNLI crew was called to a stricken vessel anchored off Bournemouth Beach at around 2pm this afternoon.
Four adults and one child were on the boat when it started taking on water.
Whilst a lifeboat from Poole - which luckily had been stationed at the nearby Bournemouth Pier - made its way to the scene, the child was passed from the speedboat to a small yacht.
And just before the rescuers arrived, the speedboat sank and the four adults had to be plucked from the water.
Portland Coastguard Watch Manager Ros Evans spoke of her disbelief that there was not a single lifejacket on board the speedboat and said it was extremely fortunate no-one was seriously hurt.
She said: "They were very lucky to survive as they had no lifejackets, flares or radio.
"If the lifeboats had not been in the area they would have been unlikely to have kept themselves afloat for long.
"HM Coastguard recommends that motorboaters should wear a lifejacket at all times whilst on deck. These lifejackets should be well maintained and should have a spray-hood and whistle if possible."
