A fishing passenger was dramatically winched from a boat by helicopter after suffering a suspected heart attack miles out at sea.
Steve, who is in his 60s, was aboard charter boat Storm Lee Junior when skipper Jack Price noticed he was unwell.
Jack immediately abandoned the fishing trip and called for help as the boat headed towards Cardiff.
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An RNLI lifeboat was scrambled to meet the vessel before Steve’s condition prompted rescuers to call in a helicopter.
A paramedic was lowered onto the deck before Steve was winched into the hovering aircraft and flown to hospital for emergency treatment.
The dramatic rescue unfolded off Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, on Sunday (36 September), as reported by Need To Know.
Jack said it was the first serious medical emergency he had experienced despite carrying thousands of passengers on his two boats.
He said: “We run two boats and have had thousands of passengers, and this has never happened before.
“It was a reminder of exactly why that training, preparation and responsibility matters, and how important teamwork can be when something goes wrong at sea.
“What started as a normal experience – plenty of fish, banter and belly laughs – quickly became a serious medical emergency when one of our customers became unwell with what was suspected to be a heart attack.
“Partway through the trip, I noticed that the gentleman wasn’t quite himself.
“Despite initially assuring us he was okay and wanting to continue fishing, his condition became increasingly concerning.
“At that point, the decision was taken out of his hands.
“Rods in.
“Anchor up.
“We’re heading for port.”
Jack contacted the coastguard as they made their way towards Cardiff and followed instructions as the emergency response escalated.
He said: “The response from the emergency services was exceptional.
“The RNLI inshore lifeboat was launched to meet us giving assistance to Steve considerably quicker than if we had returned to Cardiff.
“Within minutes of the RNLI crew boarding, further medical assistance was requested, and an air ambulance was dispatched.
“Working together, an agreed course and speed were established to take Storm Lee into suitable open water.
“Despite challenging sea conditions, the vessel was positioned to allow the air ambulance crew to safely access the boat and ultimately airlift the casualty for further treatment.”
Jack praised his passengers for remaining calm and helping the emergency crews, while retired paramedic Bobby Jones also provided assistance.
He said: “Everyone played their part.
“It was a real team effort.
“Our sincere thanks to the RNLI, Coastguard and air ambulance crews for an outstanding coordinated response.
“It demonstrated exactly why safety at sea will always come before fishing.”
Steve was being treated in hospital and was said to be recovering.
Jack urged anyone who becomes unwell during a trip to alert the crew immediately rather than worrying about disrupting the day.
He added: “Never worry about spoiling the trip or cutting somebody else’s fishing short.
“We can replace a fishing trip.
“We can’t replace you.
“Safety at sea will always be our number one priority.”
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