Divers rescued after rapid ascent

Two divers were airlifted to safety after getting into trouble in separate incidents off the Dorset coast.

Portland Coastguard's helicopter was winching a diver from a dive boat near Lulworth Cove on Saturday afternoon when it received another distress call.

The helicopter then went on to rescue another male diver who had surfaced by rapid ascent just off Anvil Point.

Both men were airlifted to Poole for treatment. Rescue teams also helped a broken down dive boat in West Bay.

The dive season has begun with a vengeance Ros Evans Portland Coastguard

Portland Coastguard said the first diver was airlifted from the "X-dream" dive boat just outside Lulworth Cove.

The second was rescued from the "Sidewinder" just off Anvil Point, Swanage.

The two men were flown to the White Cliff Recreation Park in Poole, where they were met by a specialist dive doctor and two ambulances and then transferred to the nearby recompression chamber.

Ros Evans, of Portland Coastguard, said: "The dive season has begun with a vengeance.

"We would ask all dive vessels to be aware of the correct radio procedures and to call 'Pan' on channel 16 or 'Mayday' when a rapid ascent has occurred."