Brothers found in failing light Brothers Aran and Marcus Farrell were fortunate to survive after the dinghy capsized in strong winds off Downderry and they tried to swim ashore in fading light. Looe lifeboat was alerted and quickly located the boat a mile offshore but its crew were nowhere to be seen. However, superb seamanship enabled the lifeboat crew to estimate how far the boat was likely to have drifted and how far the brothers were likely to have swam.

Fortunately, the cold and exhausted pair, who were virtually impossible to see due to the failing light and their dark wetsuits, were found about 300m away and pulled aboard the lifeboat. The lifeboat crew, who each received letters of appreciation from the RNLI's Chief Executive for the successful rescue, then returned to tow the severely damaged dinghy to safety.

Crew member David Darlington said, The two men were luckier than they realised. When we found the boat they were nowhere ne it and we couldn't see their heads in the water. They had started to swim to shore but they weren't wearing lifejackets and it wasn't lor until dusk. They would have quickly become very tired.' David adde< 'Our advice to sailors in trouble is always to stay with your boat as makes it much easier for emergency services to locate you.'.