Hapless Sailors Saved Twice in 24 Hours

Photo: myfacewhen.net

(The Telegraph) Bungling sailors had to be rescued twice in 24 hours after taking to the sea with no charts, radios or flares. The trio set sail from Canvey Island in Essex at 3pm on Wednesday this week in a boat called Dolphin, but came a cropper after running aground on rocks just 15 miles into their journey on Foulness Sands.

They called 999 to say they were stuck and had "no idea where they were" and an RAF helicopter and flotilla of lifeboats were called out to search for them.

When they were found at 6pm on Wednesday, however, the crew refused to be winched to safety, saying they were sailing to Harwich - around 40 miles from where they started at Canvey Island.
They admitted they had no charts, radio or flares, but insisted on continuing their journey.
Then, at 3.15pm on Thursday, 24 hours after they set off from Canvey Island, the dozy trio ran aground again, this time on rocks at Jaywick, near Clacton-on-Sea. They were still 10 miles from their destination and just 30 miles from where they set off. Read full story