A TEENAGER was rescued by Lyme Regis lifeboat crew as his broken down boat began to sink off the Dorset coast.
The 16-year-old boy was treated by paramedics for hypothermia following the incident on Sunday night.
His 13ft day boat was reported to be half full of water when the RNLI lifeboat reached him between Freshwater and Burton Bradstock.
He was taken aboard the RNLI lifeboat into West Bay harbour to a waiting ambulance apparently suffering the effects of cold.
Lifeboat helmsman Elliott Herbert said: “The lad had apparently been fishing all day with friends but was on his own when the boat’s engine failed and began to sink.
“He appeared to be very cold when we reached him, so we did our best to keep him warm and took him to West Bay.”
The lifeboat had been launched earlier on the weekend following reports of a swimmer in difficulties off Charmouth beach.
Portland Coastguard received a report just before 1.30pm on Saturday of an overturned dinghy with a person missing.
The coastguard helicopter Rescue 106 and Lyme Regis Coastguard Rescue Team were also tasked, but the man had managed to reach the shore unaided and needed no assistance.
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