At 3:35am on Friday 1st August 2025, Guernsey Coastguard received a broken MAYDAY call from a sailing vessel approximately 15 miles northwest of Guernsey.

Communications were poor but another vessel in the area was able to relay messages from the casualty. It was quickly established that a 72-year-old male from the sailing vessel had entered the water and could no longer be seen.

St Peter Port Lifeboat and Channel Islands Air Search were alerted and launched on service. A French Rescue helicopter was also requested from the French Coastguard.

Once on scene, Air Search located an object in the water and directed the Lifeboat to investigate. The object was found to be a man overboard marker which had been deployed by the casualty vessel shortly after the person entered the water. A search was commenced from this marker position and the casualty was located by the Lifeboat at 5:45am. Once recovered from the water, the casualty was winched onboard the French Rescue helicopter for transfer to Cherbourg Hospital. He was later pronounced deceased.

Acting Harbour Master James Way said: “I would like to praise the efforts of the search and rescue crews during this incident and our thoughts are with the family and friends of the deceased at this difficult time”.