Dinas Powys men injured in speedboat accident (From Penarth Times)

Dinas Powys men injured in speedboat accident

7:40am Thursday 13th September 2012 in News

FOUR men from Dinas Powys were involved in a dramatic sea rescue on the weekend, after their speedboat collided with waves on a notoriously bumpy stretch of water off the Pembrokeshire coast.

Two of the men were seriously injured in the crash which occured in the water off St Ann’s in Milford Haven on Sunday (September 9), with a man aged 41 breaking both his legs and a 33-year-old suffering suspected spinal injuries.

The 41-year-old was taken by helicopter to the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, while the 33-year-old travelled by ambulance to Withybush General Hospital, Haverfordwest.

The other two men travelling in the vessel when the crash took place at 10.20am escaped unhurt.

The incident occured when the speedboat, said to be a 37ft Hunton XRS37 which can cost up to £300,000, fell from one wave into the trough of another - according to Andrew Hodgson, Milford Haven Coastguard watch manager, who attended the scene.

"The weather conditions were adverse and decreasing in quality throughout the day - at the time it would have been 21 knots or force five,” he said.

“Basically the boat fell off one wave and into an oncoming one. The force of that wave caused the two men travelling in the front to brace, just like going down a steep hill, or a rollercoaster.

“However the two in the back could not see so easily and did not have that luxury.

“We arrived on scene and helped extract the older man from the boat which proved very difficult. It took around half an hour, as we had to try and manoeuvre him without moving his legs. He was then airlifted to hospital.

“The party told the coastguard rescue team they were from Dinas Powys and on their way back to Cardiff Yacht Club."

Mr Hodgson added: “The boat they were travelling in - a very powerful one - is more than capable of handling such weather conditions, but how the incident occured and exactly what happened is yet to be discovered.

“They were travelling in a large estuary, which encounters a headland, and is renowned for being bumpy - and it was here that the accident happened.

“While unfortunate, I would say that it was by the grace of God it wasn’t further out to sea," he said.

“Had it been, the situation could have been a lot worse - as it would have taken that much longer to return the two injured parties to land.”

The coastguard also said there was no blame on the part of the men involved.

“They all had life jackets on and had covered all safety angles,” he said.

“They are not believed to have been travelling at excessive speeds either.

“It was a case of being unlucky in the wave they hit. Unfortunately these things happen sometimes.”

The Wales Air Ambulance confirmed they had attended the scene, from their Swansea base.

A spokesperson said: “We were mobile at 10.55am, on scene at 11.15am, left the scene at 12pm and were at hospital by 12.35pm.

“A 41-year-old male with multiple fractures to his legs and possible spine injuries was taken to the University Hospital of Wales.”

One of the men involved - who asked not to be named - said: “I am still reeling from the accident and dealing with the aftermath of it.”