Sailors
are being urged to wear lifejackets after an elderly man was pulled from
freezing waters in the Lake District.

The
elderly man, who had fallen from his boat and sustained a minor head injury,
was rescued from Lake Windermere after spending two hours in ‘very cold’ temperatures.

After
being alerted by calls for help at around 4.15pm on 3 December, South Lakeland District Council (SLDC) lake
wardens Graeme Woodman and Travis Spraske found the casualty clinging to
the ladder at the back of his yacht.

The
elderly man, who does not wish to be named, was suffering from hypothermia.

Frankie
Flannigan, lake and parking services officer, said: ‘It is without a doubt that
the actions of the lake wardens with their rapid response and excellent medical
skills prevented this from becoming another tragedy.’

Mr
Woodman, said: ‘When the casualty was recovered there was no core temperature
reading and he was drifting in and out of consciousness. His plight was made
all the more difficult because the gentleman concerned was in very cold water,
eight degrees Celsius, and heavily weighed down by wet clothing.

‘He
also wasn’t wearing a safety flotation jacket, which made his condition far
more serious.’

The
Personal Flotation Device Manufacturers Association say, nine out of ten
drowning’s occur in inland waters and most are within a
few feet of safety, involving boats under 20-feet long.

Most
drowning victims had a life jacket available and chose not to wear it. Life
jackets are designed to keep you afloat in the water and give you extra time
for rescue services to reach you.

Gaining
more time can mean life or death, as it only takes 60 seconds for an adult to
drown and 20 seconds for a child to drown. 70% of all boating fatality accidents
result from drowning and almost 85% of those who drown are not wearing a life
jacket.

The
casualty was taken by patrol boat to Ferry Nab where his condition was
stabilised prior to the arrival of the police and ambulance services. The
casualty was taken to the Royal Lancaster Infirmary at 5.15pm and has since
been released and has thanked all those involved with his rescue.