Bridport fisherman thanks rescuers after Chesil Beach drama (From Dorset Echo)

Bridport fisherman thanks rescuers after Chesil Beach drama

5:00pm Wednesday 8th February 2012 in News By James Tourgout

A GRATEFUL fisherman has thanked rescuers who saved him after he plunged into the sea off Chesil Beach in heavy weather.

Denis Rehbein praised coastguards, paramedics, the harbourmaster, lifeboat crew, trawler crew and anglers on the beach for their help in the drama off West Bexington.

The 59-year-old ended up in the water for 20 minutes after his fishing boat Telden was swept towards the beach.

He said: “I am so grateful to everybody for their help.

“I want to thank everyone who was involved in helping me.

“I can’t apologise enough for the inconvenience.

“I don’t like putting people’s lives at risk or fetching them out.

“They were all brilliant.”

Mr Rehbein, who lives in Bridport and works at Numatics in Chard, added: “I am still in shock.

“It could have been a lot worse.”

Mr Rehbein’s vessel was forced towards the beach after his anchor broke and his engine failed to start.

He decided to jump from the Telden but was thrown off at the same time as a swell hit the boat and he ended up in the water.

He said: “We were getting closer and closer to the shore.

“There was not a lot I could do.

“I thought I could either jump or get thrown overboard and go anywhere.”

• The trawler Tegan Mor and the Lyme Regis lifeboat could not get close enough to the boat as it was too dangerous but lifeboatman John Bird swam ashore.

He said: “When we arrived the man had just about reached the shore.

“His boat was on the shoreline, but was being tossed around in heavy surf. We made sure the man was being looked after.

“He appeared very cold.”