Portsmouth dad stuck in the mud picking up son from Isle of Wight Festival sparks rescue effort

THREE people who became stuck in the mud had to be rescued by the coastguard.

The drama started when a Portsmouth dad sailed to the Isle of Wight to pick up his son from the Isle of Wight Festival.

Sailing from Portsmouth Harbour in the early hours of yesterday morning, the man’s 10-metre motor-cruiser arrived at the River Medina.

However, before the man could pick up his son, his boat ran aground.

A spokesman for the RNLI said: ‘When he attempted to reach the shore in the boat’s tender that too ran aground, and an oar was lost.

‘As he struggled to reach the shore on foot he became stuck fast in the cloying mud.

‘The same fate also befell the son and another yachtsman who went to his aid.’

With the situation worsening, rescuers from the Ventnor coastguard and Cowes RNLI lifeboat, heading to the trio’s aid.

Eventually all three were brought ashore by Ventnor coastguards, and the father was taken by ambulance to hospital suffering from cold.

The lifeboat managed to re-float the motor-cruiser and tow it to a pontoon off Island Harbour.

The tender was also recovered.

The lifeboat, launched just after 1am, was away from its station for some two hours.