Fisherman's 'incredible' survival

Man missing after trawler sinks

The survival of a Pembrokeshire fisherman who swam almost four miles (6.4km) after his boat sank is an "incredible story", coastguards say.

Douglas Hook, 31, was found suffering from hypothermia on Pendine Sands in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Coastguard Dave Miller said Mr Hook had clung to a lifebuoy for several hours after his trawler sunk in Carmarthen Bay, before swimming to shore.

His missing crewmate John Askey is no longer expected to be found alive.

Mr Hook has now been discharged from hospital. Both fishermen are from the Pembroke Dock area.

Mr Miller, from Milford Haven Coastguard, said: "It is an incredible story, just for him to survive alone over that period of time - a good 10 to 11 hours.

"I think it was close towards the end when it became a case of does he survive himself?

"So he attempted to tie him [Mr Askey] to a buoy - the buoy that they were holding onto - and then make for the shore himself because he felt that he wasn't going to survive much longer."

Fisherman Douglas Hook was able to reach Pendine beach

The Pamela S is believed to have sunk in Carmarthen Bay at about 1430 BST on Saturday.

The alarm was raised at 0030 BST on Sunday when the men did not return when expected to Lydstep, Pembrokeshire. Mr Hook was found at 0245 BST.

According to coastguards, he had clung to a lifebuoy, and his crewmate, for about seven hours until it got dark.

He then swam to shore in cold waters against a changing tide.

On Sunday, watch officer Julie Wood said it was "a remarkable feat of human courage and endurance".

An inquiry has been launched by the Marine Accident Investigation Board.