Safety warning for sailors
Members of a Wigan sailing club are warning sailors to take safety precautions before heading out in windy conditions.
The advice comes after a father and daughter had to be saved by fire crews after their boat capsized in fierce winds at Lowton Sailing Club.
The man and his 10-year-old daughter were sailing on Pennington Flash last Friday afternoon when strong winds caused them to lose control of their vessel.
A person walking alongside the flash heard their cries for help and immediately alerted the emergency services.
The pair had been in the water for approximately 30 minutes, around 200m from the shore, when fire crews mobilised a boat to reach them.
The father and daughter were not injured but were taken to Wigan Infirmary as a precaution.
Mark Cuthbert, a member of Lowton Sailing Club, said: "This was a very unfortunate incident considering that the club has an impeccable safety record.
"Although Fridays are not regarded as club racing days, precautions are always taken to ensure our members enjoy their sailing safely."
Racing takes place during the Summer on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, and Wednesday evenings.
Gareth Williams, sailing manager at Lowton Sailing Club, said: "We are trying to piece together all the information we can on the incident to get a better idea of what happened."
He said all sailors were being warned to take extra care in light of the incident.
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Weather for Wigan
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Light snow
Temperature: -1 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 3 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: West
