Fisherman dies after sea rescue

The man was found after a major search and rescue operation

A 50-year-old fisherman has died in hospital after his boat capsized off the coast of Fife.

Emergency services said two crew members were on board the 18ft boat when it went down shortly after leaving Methil Harbour.

One of the men managed to swim back to shore and raised the alarm at 1230 BST.

His companion was found after a search in poor weather conditions, but later died. He had spent about four hours in the water.

A spokesman for Fife Constabulary said the two men, from the Leven area, had left Methil shortly after 0700 BST to go fishing.

They got into difficulty at about 0930 BST and the boat, which is thought to have been recently purchased, sank half a mile from Leven Power Station.

They were wearing waterproof jackets and trousers but neither were wearing lifejackets. We are also unaware of any other safety equipment being carried Bob Abercrombie Forth Coastguard

One of the crew members, a 42-year-old man, swam back to shore to obtain assistance for his companion, who was not a strong swimmer.

However, due to the prevailing weather conditions, it took him about three hours to reach the shore and raise the alarm.

Forth Coastguard launched a major search and rescue operation involving RNLI lifeboats from Kinghorn and Anstruther, as well as a search and rescue helicopter from RAF Boulmer and a number of fishing boats, tankers and other civilian vessels which were in the Forth Estuary at the time.

The fisherman, who was not wearing a lifejacket, was spotted by a fast rescue craft that had been launched from a passing tanker and winched onto the RAF rescue helicopter at about 1400 BST.

It is thought he was clinging onto a creel marker buoy.

He was airlifted to the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy where he died a short time later.

Smoke alert

The other male was released from hospital after being treated for mild hypothermia and exhaustion.

The identities of the two men involved have not yet been released.

Bob Abercrombie, watch manager at Forth Coastguard, said the incident highlighted the "absolute necessity" of wearing a lifejacket and carrying suitable communications and safety equipment on board at all times.

He added: "They were wearing waterproof jackets and trousers but neither were wearing lifejackets. We are also unaware of any other safety equipment being carried.

"The weather on scene was around 20 knot south-westerlys making the sea choppy and certainly difficult to swim in.

"At around 2pm a vessel taking part in the search, the fast rescue craft from the tanker Audacity, sighted a man's body in the water, and a nearby yacht let off a smoke alert to guide the rescue helicopter to their position. The man was then airlifted to hospital."