BBC NEWS Now

[1978SeaRider]

Article about 2 jet skiers getting washed out to sea in a moment... Should make informative viewing

[GJ0KYZ]

You've forgotten the link. I have no doubt this will elicit another anti jet skiing tirade....

[1978SeaRider]

The link is... Turn TV on and press Chanel one

Looks like a pair classic eBay skier's !

[1978SeaRider]

And the moral of the story....

Buy a VHF !

[tonymac]

[Lee argyle]

I run a RIB and a Ski, even when out on the Seadoo with the limited storage space I carry a inshore flare kit, handheld VHF (which is on my PFD incase I'm spat off ), waterproof mobile, rope, Anchor - it an't rocket science!

[Ribochet]

Two men thank Arbroath crew for saving them

[Nos4r2]

Saw it. No flares or VHF on any of the group of 5 of them? Jesus...

[Poly]

Were in a group. Sent for help. Didn't try to swim for shore. Had and blew whistles. Were genuinely grateful afterwards. Whilst a VHF would have been wise they aren't the stupidest rescue by a long way!

[Peter_C]

I can't believe they didn't at least have a rope of some kind. They make those storage spots on them for something, maybe it was full of beer and there wasn't room for much else?

Couldn't they have idled back in holding one PWC to the other? Self rescue would have made the most sense.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Peter_C

I can't believe they didn't at least have a rope of some kind. They make those storage spots on them for something,

its a fair point but presumably not...

maybe it was full of beer and there wasn't room for much else?

I doubt there was much beer drinking going on its fricken freezing here at the moment - if you want to drink beer you'd surely choose to do so somewhere pleasant rather than the Firth of Tay / North Sea!

Couldn't they have idled back in holding one PWC to the other? Self rescue would have made the most sense.

I think they probably made the right call. 4m swell reported by the lifeboat. Presumably quite far from shore. Long slow tow. There probably wont be any other boats around. With both boats gone everyone would assume they were most likely delayed rather than missing if they were even later back etc... The 'survivor' said: "It was a series of events that got us into the situation we were in". That is so often the case - and getting help is asap is often the best way out of "the incident pit".

I'd guess that the RNLI guys actually see this as a good job well done with an altogether positive outcome. Its what they sign up for. Its what they train for. Yes they'd prefer never to get called out but most of them will have done something a bit naive at some point.

[ShinyShoe]

I'm confused... the lifeboat report was dated November? Is everyone talking about the same incident?

[Poly]

Originally Posted by ShinyShoe

I'm confused... the lifeboat report was dated November? Is everyone talking about the same incident?

I hadn't realised it was an old story - but here is the BBC link: BBC News - Jet skiers rescued in North Sea were 'minutes from death' both reporting the same story. Its been rejuvinated probaly because rnli published its 2012 stats recently.

News report probably provides some clarity on the things that went wrong...

If I followed correctly:

5 People
4 skis
1 broke down. repaired in water and sent back to base.
2nd broke down (seized engine) [this ski had 2 p.o.b]
3rd ski starts to tow.
3rd ski then starts to overheat.
4th ski takes the tow over but 2 people stay with the overheated ski, waiting for it to cool down.
4th ski then starts to sink.

Might be some lessons there for RIBnet cruises! There is more to safety than just having numbers!