 Divers rescued after their dive boat breaks down
A diving boat got into difficulties off Torquay when its engine failed with three divers on the surface and two underwater.
Skipper Rick Parker sent out a May Day when his boat Jennifer Ann started to drift towards Meadfoot Beach after its engine broke down as light failed on Thursday.He raised the alarm with Brixham coastguards who immediately dispatched the Bay's two lifeboats to help the ailing vessel and its five divers, two women and three men all from Babbacombe.
Rick faced a race against time to pick up the divers before it became completely dark.
"I had picked up one and was trying to get three others from the water when the engine failed. The wind was strong and blowing me away from them," he explained.
"I dropped anchor and the boat went sideways, so I was able to get all three back. But the two were still underwater, the light was going and the anchor was dragging," he said.
The May Day was sent at 6.44pm with Torbay Lifeboat and the inshore lifeboat alerted within minutes. Just after 7pm Rick was able to restart the engine on the third attempt.
By then he and his team had drifted 400 metres towards the beach and away from the two divers, a man and a woman, who had surfaced safely and then been spotted clinging to a marker buoy.
"I was closer to the shore than I wanted to be. But once we picked up the rocks I knew the anchor would hold. My main concern then was for the divers in the water because it was getting darker and we could not see them.
"Luckily, they came up and we saw the torchlight. They were on a marker buoy. I was hoping they would stay on it. I didn't want them letting go and trying to reach us," he said.
He added: "The engine started, although we did have problems pulling up the anchor gripped on the rocks. We were finally able to pick up the divers. As we did so the big lifeboat turned up. It followed us back into to Torquay without any further problems."
He praised everyone for the parts they played during the panic.
"I was really pleased with the way everything went. I could not have asked for any more from those who helped. All the party were fine. They were all good divers," said Rick who is based at Torquay's Haldon Pier.
Dive master Mike Lawton, one of the three picked up from the surface, said: "Rick handled the situation in a very professional manner. At no time did any of the divers feel they were at risk."
(This is South Devon) | 
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