The 41-year-old man and his 25-year-old son, from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, were enjoying a family holiday in Cornwall when the accident happened off the beach at Pentewan Sands, Mevagissey, Cornwall. The duo went into the sea on a motorboat and had been out to sea for around an hour when, at around 3.20pm, when they were suddenly flung from the boat into the sea. The motorboat then went over them twice whilst they were in the water and they got tangled up in its propeller.
Both men are currently said to be recovering in The Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro with the 41-year-old in a serious but stable condition. It is understood that the 41 year old suffered severe injuries to his head and it is unsure whether, if he survives, he will have any permanent brain damage. The 25-year-old suffered serious injuries to his legs but the injuries are not believed to be life threatening.
The men were saved by shocked fellow holidaymakers who frantically dragged them from the sea and called the Ambulance Service and Coast Guard. They were then treated on the beach by South West Ambulance Service before the elder of the two men, due to the more serious nature of the incident, was taken to hospital by air ambulance. His son then followed by land ambulance.
An investigation by Marine Accident Investigation Branch is under way to try and establish the full cause of the accident. At the time the sea was calm and the weather was fine in general however it is believed at this point that the motorboat somehow hit the seabed.
The motorboat has now been recovered and taken for investigation however the life boat team that recovered it have stated that the cord which cuts the engine when pulled, was wrapped around the steering column however it is actually supposed to be attached around the leg of the driver for easy deployment.
A spokesman for the local coast guard made the following statement:
“It seems that the vessel had somehow hit the bottom and thrown both father and son out, and the uncontrolled boat had then circled, hitting them both twice. They had both been hit by the boat’s propeller. A member of the public had then assisted both of them out of the water to the beach. We urgently recommend to boaters that the kill cord be attached around your leg or securely to your personal buoyancy aid. In either case it should not foul the steering or gear controls. The vessel was then taken to Beryls Pontoon on the River Fowey for further investigation.”
