Belfast Coastguard rescue vessel saves from capsized boat wearing his new life jacket

A LUCKY fisherman wearing a new charity life jacket was plucked to safety when his fishing boat capsized.

A massive air and sea rescue operation was mounted after Belfast Coastguard received a Mayday call from the man who reported that his boat was rapidly taking on water and sinking off the Co Down coast on Wednesday.

In a statement the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: “The man was believed to be wearing a personal floatation device that was provided to him two weeks ago through a joint initiative by National Charity, the Fisherman’s Mission, Seafish, the Department for Agriculture and Rural Development, through the European Fisheries Fund, and Asda.”

The incident was reported at about 12.30pm.