Watercraft crashes against rocks at West Bay
The alarm was raised by an off-duty rescue officer
An off duty coastguard called for help after seeing two people trying to rescue a JetSki at West Bay at the weekend.
The craft was washed against the rocks by strong winds and the pair sustained minor injuries trying to retrieve it.
They initially tried to recover the craft, but due to the high wind and strong wave action, the craft became pinned to the rocks.
Solent Coastguard immediately paged the West Bay Rescue Team to attend along with the West Bay Harbour Masters team.
The people on the rock armour were advised to abandon their attempts and get themselves to a place of safety which they did, although one of them had now suffered multiple cuts and abrasions to their arms and legs.
Only one of them was wearing a wetsuit and neither were wearing floatation devices or had the ability to call for help.
Recovery of the craft was left in the hands of the Harbour Team.
West Bay Coastguard Rescue Team have issued the following advise:
If you're going to take a jetski or personal watercraft onto the water then you should make sure you know how to operate these powerful machines by getting trained. You don't want to find yourself in the water after being thrown off. This is also why we always recommend that you wear a buoyancy aid or impact vest and ensure you attach your kill cord to your personal buoyancy aid, so that if you end up in the water, the engine will stop.
Take a hand held VHF radio with you and attach it to yourself, so you can contact the Coastguard if you get into difficulty. A Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) may be useful for more remote locations, along with mini flares and a fully charged mobile phone in a plastic bag.
Joining a professional and reputable personal watercraft club is also a great way to take to the water safely, and always respect any local rules or bylaws that are in place.