Man saved after his fishing boat capsized
The coastal fishing vessel sank northwest of Garðskagi in the third hour last night. Photo/Crew of Hannes Þ. Hafstein
A man was saved when a coastal fishing boat sank northwest of Garðskagi at 3 am last night. The Coast Guard’s command center received an emergency call from the captain of another coastal fishing boat at 2.42 am, saying that a boat nearby was sinking about six nautical miles northwest of Garðskagi.
The helicopter-based unit of the Icelandic Coast Guard was immediately called out at the highest priority along with the maritime rescue units of the Rescue team Landsbjörg in Suðurnes. Furthermore, nearby fishing vessels and boats were asked to stay at the location, as stated in an announcement from the Coast Guard.
Shortly after the emergency call reached the Coast Guard, the notifier contacted the Coast Guard again and told them that he had saved the man from the water but the man had managed to put on a rescue suit before his boat sank.
Rescue team getting the boat. Photo/The crew of Hannes Þ. Hafstein
The man was cold after being in the water and it was decided that an ambulance would wait for him on the pier in Sandgerði. The person who saved the man sailed with him there. The boat is submerged in the water and Landsbjörg’s sea rescue teams will attempt to pull it to the harbor.
“The Icelandic Coast Guard would like to express special thanks to the captain of the coastal fishing boat, who showed great speed in rescuing the man, and to other responders who responded quickly and without delay,” the announcement reads.
Investigate whether a cargo ship is related to the boat's capsizing
The South Iceland Police are investigating whether the foreign cargo ship Longdawn, which was in the same area as a coastal fishing boat last night, is connected to the capsizing.
This is what Ásgeir Erlendsson, information officer of the Icelandic Coast Guard, says to mbl.is.
The Icelandic Coast Guard has directed the cargo ship to the port of Vestmannaeyjar, where a report will be taken by the ship’s captain for the investigation.
Towing the boat to shore. Photo/The crea of Hannes Þ. Hafstein
“We are looking into whether this may be connected to the capsizing of the coastal fishing boat,” Erlendsson says. The investigation is in the hands of the police in Suðurnes, Ásgeir says, adding that the Icelandic Coast Guard has already notified the investigative committee of transport accidents.
“So, representatives of the Icelandic Coast Guard, the Icelandic Transport Authority, and the Investigative Commission went to the Westman Islands where a report will be taken by the ship’s captain.
Managed to get the boat to the harbor
Erlendsson could not give information about the condition of the man who was saved, but he is in his 70s. An ambulance waited for him at the pier in Sandgerði, where he was taken to be examined.
Rescue teams pulled the boat to the harbor in Sandgerði and Erlendsson says it was a success. Now it is up to the police in Suðurnes to investigate the boat and talk to those involved.
