Fisherman dies after boat sinks
A fisherman rescued from the sea after his boat sank has died.
The 49- year- old, who has not been named, was taken to King’s College Hospital, London, in a critical condition after being pulled from the water at Leysdown.
Doctors turned off his life-support machine on Friday. He suffered brain damage after being deprived of oxygen.
A fellow fisherman, who survived the tragedy, said: “We were nearly a mile out when our boat started sinking.
“I struggled for an hour to get my mate in before the lifeguards spotted us.”
The drama began after the pair launched a new boat from the beach on Monday afternoon last week. Both had been wearing bright orange life jackets.
The man said: “When the boat sank I tried towing him to the shore, but it was very difficult.
“When we were 300 yards out we were still fighting the tide so I made the decision to leave him and swim to the shore on my own.”
Lifeguards then reached the pair.
The pair had been friends for 12 years. Both had moved independently to the Isle of Sheppey after living in Maidstone.