Two girls and a boy
have died after being pulled from the water when their speedboat toppled over
in the English Channel.
The girls, aged nine
and 13, and boy, aged seven, suffered cardiac arrest and later died after being
found in the cabin of the boat.
A rescuer said the
boat was upright when they arrived, but only the windscreen was visible and the
children were stuck underwater.
They used the boat’s
anchor to smash through the window before they could get to the first victim.
Two were pulled out
through the window while a third was retrieved through the cabin door.
It is believed the
boat they were in suffered engine failure as it tried to turn then capsized
around half a mile off the shore in Agon Countainville, Normandy.
Three adults, a man and two women, were
also injured in the accident at 3.30pm yesterday, according to French newspaper
Le Figaro.
A boat from a nearby sailing school
went to their aid after hearing an SOS call.
Other rescue teams were also drafted in
and the boat and its passengers were returned to shore.
Rescue spokesman Pascal Dutot said:
‘When I arrived at the scene with my colleague, the boat was upright, but the
cabin was under water.’
Ecology Minister Elisabeth Borne said:
‘Emotions are running high following the tragic capsize in the channel. Our
thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.
‘Our gratitude goes to the efforts of
the lifeguards at sea and the emergency services at the scene.’
An investigation has been launched. In
a statement to Le Figaro, maritime authorities said: ‘The boat as well as all
the passengers were brought back to the beach of Passous where they were taken
care, in a state of emergency, by the medical teams and the firemen.’
Source: Metro.co.uk
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