DUDES, THANK YOU
Surfer lost 13 miles out to sea reunited with rescue crew heroes
A SURFER rescued after 32 hours adrift at sea was yesterday reunited on TV with the Coastguard crew who saved his life.
Matthew Bryce, from Airdrie, was found 13 miles off the Argyll coast in May.
He got the chance to thank his rescuers in an emotional meeting with the Coastguard helicopter crew on ITV show This Morning.
Matthew told hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield he feared he would never be found. He said: “I lay on my surfboard and waited to die.”
But his ordeal had a happy ending when he was saved by the courageous team – captain Andy Pilliner, co-pilot Frans Porrenga, winch operator Rob Seall and winchman paramedic Duncan Tripp.
The 23-year-old had gone to catch some waves off Machrihanish, Kintyre, at 11am on April 30 but strong tides and winds swept him out to sea.
He tried and failed to alert
passing fishing boats and continued to paddle on his board through the night.
But by daylight he was starting to pass out and fall off. He drifted through the day and, as night fell, he said he was resigned to dying.
As his hopes faded, a helicopter flew over.
Elated Matthew jumped off his board and waved it above his head. He feared they had missed him but they turned around and he was winched aboard the search and rescue helicopter at 7.30pm.
He was treated in hospital for hypothermia and dehydration and vowed never to surf again.
But he got back on his board in Wales last month.