Three rescued after dinghy capsises

THREE people had to be airlifted to hospital with mild hypothermia last night after their dinghy capsized.

Coastguards received a report from a member of the public of a boat in difficulties at 3pm near Felixstowe Ferry, at the entrance to the River Deben.

A helicopter from Wattisham was on a training exercise two miles away and was diverted to the scene. The crew rescued two men, aged 56 and 21, and a 15-year-old girl from the water.

The victims, who were not injured but said to be suffering from mild hypothermia, were airlifted to Ipswich Hospital to receive treatment.

Their condition was not known last night but not thought to be life threatening.

Harwich inshore lifeboat and Felixstowe coastguards were also in attendance at the scene and towed the dinghy back to Felixstowe Ferry.

The trio had set out from Bawdsey Quay waterports centre.

Flight lieutenant Steve Murkin of the Wattisham crew said: "They were two trainees who had been out on a sailing lesson with an instructor.

"When we arrived they had been clinging to the hull of the upturned boat for about half an hour and were soaking wet. They appeared to be showing signs of hypothermia so we took them to Ipswich hospital."

A coastguard spokeswoman said: "As far as we are aware, they were going through the water and the boat nose-dived and threw them off.

"Three persons taken from the water had mild hypothermia. As far as we're aware, two males had mild hypothermia and the female had a bit more and was still undergoing treatment."

An air sea rescue spokeswoman added: "We just had to take people to Ipswich Hospital. We air-winched them up in the helicopter and took them to hospital. They were not injured just very cold."

The spokeswoman said the operation was routine and took about had an hour.