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3:00pm Sunday 5th June 2011 in News By James Tourgout and Catherine Bolado
A BOAT called Titanic II lived up to its name when it sank at West Bay.
Mark Wilkinson had to abandon ship when the vessel went down as it returned into the harbour yesterday.
Coastguards and harbourmaster James Radcliffe were called into action to help moor the Titanic II as Mr Wilkinson climbed out of the water.
Margaret O’Callaghan, from Bridport, saw the boat go down and caught it on camera.
She said: “The guy was in a small cruiser on his own.
“Someone said to me, ‘That boat is sinking’.
“He was coming into the harbour and the back of the boat was going down.
“I shouted at him to jump as the back of the boat went right down and the bow was sticking out of the water.
“He was clinging on to the nose and the tide was taking the boat in. Someone threw a rope and tied it up to the side.
“The harbourmaster came out in a rib and managed to secure it and get it on to the slipway.
“The funny thing about it was that the name of the boat was Titanic II.”
Mrs O’Callaghan recently broke her leg and was in a wheelchair on the West Bay front when the incident happened.
She added: “The guy seemed fine.
“He was a big, beefy man in his 40s.
“He got out and was standing on the side smoking and dripping, trying to get dry.”
Mr Wilkinson, from Birmingham, was at the start of a holiday in Dorset and was going out a trip when the boat began to take on water.
He said: “My thanks go to the coastguards and the harbourmaster for all their help.”
West Bay coastguards attended as the drama unfolded at 10.45am.
The harbourmaster helped Mr Wilkinson lift the boat onto a trailer before it was towed away for repairs.
Portland Coastguard said that Mr Wilkinson was unhurt.
A spokesman said: “We got a 999 call about a boat which was sinking.
“West Bay coastguard officers attended and the harbourmaster was on scene.”
He added that they got a line on the partly sunk boat and secured it to the harbour wall.”
Harbourmaster Mr Radcliffe said that it was believed that an old repair job had come apart and caused the boat to take on water.
Comments(10)
Mabu2
says...
6:36pm Sun 5 Jun 11
algy
says...
6:51pm Sun 5 Jun 11
X Old Bill
says...
7:14pm Sun 5 Jun 11
dadadunvarted wrote:It is Bridport - She will have to wait until the Chemist opens on Monday before she can take the film in to be developed, unless they have to wait until she has used all eight frames - Then it could be later in the year.
Margaret O’Callaghan, from Bridport, saw the boat go down and caught it on camera....
...and that is where?
dadadunvarted
says...
9:54pm Sun 5 Jun 11
X Old Bill wrote:Lol. I thought one of those intrepid hardcore Investigative journo's would have been on the case? I mean..it's the Titanic for God's sake :-)
dadadunvarted wrote:It is Bridport - She will have to wait until the Chemist opens on Monday before she can take the film in to be developed, unless they have to wait until she has used all eight frames - Then it could be later in the year.
Margaret O’Callaghan, from Bridport, saw the boat go down and caught it on camera....
...and that is where?
axzl32
says...
10:07am Mon 6 Jun 11
X Old Bill wrote:X Old Bill - film? developed? you need to drag yourself into the present and digital age =(
dadadunvarted wrote: Margaret O’Callaghan, from Bridport, saw the boat go down and caught it on camera.... ...and that is where?It is Bridport - She will have to wait until the Chemist opens on Monday before she can take the film in to be developed, unless they have to wait until she has used all eight frames - Then it could be later in the year.
Atilla
says...
11:15am Mon 6 Jun 11
Mabu2
says...
11:21am Mon 6 Jun 11
axzl32 wrote:axzl32 I suggest you visit your doctor - you have an Irony Deficiency.
X Old Bill wrote:X Old Bill - film? developed? you need to drag yourself into the present and digital age =( how is your steam-driven road vehicle.....? *LOL*dadadunvarted wrote: Margaret O’Callaghan, from Bridport, saw the boat go down and caught it on camera.... ...and that is where?It is Bridport - She will have to wait until the Chemist opens on Monday before she can take the film in to be developed, unless they have to wait until she has used all eight frames - Then it could be later in the year.
X Old Bill
says...
11:26am Mon 6 Jun 11
Mabu2 wrote:.....and some fell on stony ground.
axzl32 wrote:axzl32 I suggest you visit your doctor - you have an Irony Deficiency.
X Old Bill wrote:X Old Bill - film? developed? you need to drag yourself into the present and digital age =( how is your steam-driven road vehicle.....? *LOL*dadadunvarted wrote: Margaret O’Callaghan, from Bridport, saw the boat go down and caught it on camera.... ...and that is where?It is Bridport - She will have to wait until the Chemist opens on Monday before she can take the film in to be developed, unless they have to wait until she has used all eight frames - Then it could be later in the year.
etaoin shrdlu
says...
2:22am Wed 8 Jun 11
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dadadunvarted says...
4:12pm Sun 5 Jun 11
...and that is where?