Boat Sinks Off Portsmouth Coast

Two men have been rescued from their boat just off the coast of Portsmouth.

At 2.43 pm, Solent Coastguard received a mayday call from the skipper of a Portsmouth registered fishing vessel reporting that they were taking water and sinking. 

The fishing vessel Sea Bird P283 was one and half miles from Langstone Harbour with two crew onboard. 

Portsmouth Coastguard Rescue Team was called out and the Portsmouth RNLI Lifeboat was requested to launch. Gosport and Fareham Independent Lifeboats who were afloat were sent to the sinking fishing vessel.  

The lifeboats were able to recover the two men safely, but the vessel sank to the bottom. It has 1000 litres of diesel onboard. 

The two men have now been landed safely ashore. 

Tony Wheeler, Watch Manager, Solent Coastguard said: "The skipper and his crewman made an emergency call as soon as they realised that they were taking water and sinking. Unfortunately, the vessel sank very quickly and couldn't be saved, but the two men are both safe."