11:08am Saturday 28th April 2012
By Helen Barnett
A teenage swimmer is in hospital with severe hypothermia after becoming lost at sea.
An 18-year-old swimming from Point Clear, near St Osyth, yesterday afternoon found himself in difficulty. He was trying to cross Ray Creek to make it to Sandy Point but could not reach the shore.
His step-father called emergency services to search for him just before 3pm and Thames Coastguard asked all boats in the area to assist with the search.
Two people also attempted to swim out to assist the young man, but couldn’t help due to the cold water and strong currents.
Local angling boat, Sophie Lea, Brightlingsea Harbour Master’s patrol boat, Dracula, and a wind farm vessel, The Asheera, stood by the casualty until Clacton RNLI inshore lifeboat arrived on scene and took him ashore.
Essex Ambulance paramedics checked the 18-year-old over and he was taken to hospital with severe hypothermia. The two rescuers were also checked and were allowed to return home.
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