I owe them everything
Surfer Matthew hails rescue helicopter team who plucked him to safety with minutes to spare .. and insists they’ll always be heroes in his eyes
WHEN Matthew Bryce went surfing in the North Channel, he had no idea of the terrifying ordeal that was about to unfold.
Caught by changing winds and turning tides, he was swept 16 miles out to sea off the Argyll coast – and spent the next 32 hours clinging desperately to his surfboard.
The massive search and rescue operation that had been launched to locate him was just 40 minutes away from being called off as darkness began to descend.
The surfer admits he was preparing to die before he was found by a heroic Coastguard crew who had refused to give up on him.
He would spend the next nine days in hospital, and during his time in the water had shed a stone in muscle and fluids. But thanks to the determination of his rescuers, he didn’t lose his life.
Now, Matthew has been reunited with the brave team and says he will never be able to repay them.
He said: “I owe everything to the crew. They are real heroes and I can’t thank them enough. They refused to give up, and it’s only because of their determination that I’m still here today.
“I’d spent so long in freezing conditions that my body was starting to shut down. I was preparing myself to die.
“I was in the middle of the sea and I could see Scotland at one side and Ireland on the other. I just thought, ‘No one is ever going to find me here.’
“Then I spotted the rescue helicopter and I cried like a baby. I’ve never been so relieved in my life.”
Coastguard team captain Andy Pilliner, co-pilot Frans Porrenga, winch operator Rob Seall and winchman paramedic Duncan Tripp had spent more than a day searching for Matthew, who had gone to catch some waves off Machrihanish, Kintyre, at 11am on April 30 last year.
Strong tides and winds swept him out to sea. He paddled on his board for hours searching for help and, by daylight, he was starting to pass out and slide into the water. He drifted through the day and, as night crept in, he said he was resigned to dying.
After spotting the rescue helicopter, Matthew, from Airdrie, frantically waved, but thought they had missed him.
He said: “My heart sank because I thought they hadn’t spotted me. They flew overhead and about 15 seconds later they turned and came back.
“I was so weak, I could only lie on the board and the next thing I remember is the winchman coming towards me. He said, ‘Well done, pal’ and I thought, ‘I’m safe at last’.
“The crew told me they didn’t expect to find me alive. They thought they were searching for a body.”
Matthew was taken to Belfast Hospital and treated for hypothermia.
A few months later, he was reunited with the crew on ITV’s This Morning. Matthew said: “I wanted to thank them personally for everything they’d done. It was emotional seeing them again.”
Speaking about the rescue, captain Andy said: “If darkness had fallen, that would have been it. But as we flew over, Matthew held his board up and we spotted him.
“It’s fair to say all the stars aligned for us to locate him but he also helped himself by doing everything right.
“He had the right kind of equipment to survive that long in the water.”
The team have been nominated as Emergency Heroes at the Daily Record Our Heroes awards, sponsored by Utilita Energy.
Matthew said: “These guys are already heroes in my eyes and I’m thrilled they’ve been put forward for this award.”
Utilita marketing boss Jem Maidment said: “Utilita are immensely proud and honoured to be the title sponsor of this fantastic event. It shines a light on Scotland’s unsung heroes.”
As always, it’s the ordinary people with their amazing stories who are the real stars of the awards and we want you to tell us about all those you think deserve recognition. ●The 2018 Daily Record Our Heroes award ceremony will take place in Glasgow on Friday, May 18. For tickets and sponsorship, visit www. dailyrecordourheroes.co.uk
I spotted the rescue helicopter and I cried like a baby. I was so relieved MATTHEW BRYCE