A family outing on a dinghy in the Solent this afternoon ended with their boat capsizing and them being brought safely ashore by Cowes RNLI lifeboat.
The Laser class dinghy, Magna, being sailed by a 16 year old girl and her parents, capsized off Norris Castle, east of East Cowes. The mother swam ashore, helped by a lifeline thrown by somebody on the beach, while the yacht Salve Nautica went to the aid of the Laser and the father and daughter.
Although the yacht began to tow the now-righted Laser towards Cowes, Solent Coastguards apparently learned it was under-powered for the task. As a result the tow was soon taken over by Cowes lifeboat, helmed by Simon Hawkins.
The girl went aboard the lifeboat while lifeboat crewman Alisdair Boden joined the father aboard the Laser. It was finally taken to East Cowes Sailing Club.
