Three rescued from boat after rowing up river to watch Isle of Wight Festival

The Killers perform on stage during the Isle of Wight festival at Seaclose Park, Newport. Picture: David Jensen/PA Wire.

THREE people keen to catch the performances at Isle of Wight Festival had to be rescued from a capsized boat.

It is thought the occupants of the vessel had rowed up the River Medina to listen to The Killers who performed at the four-day festival last night.

Cowes RNLI lifeboat and Ventor coastguards were called just after midnight.

After their boat capsized two of the occupants, a middle-aged man and woman, were rescued by another boat.

The third person managed to scramble, exhausted, to the west bank, close to Newport Rowing Club.

The man and woman were transferred to the lifeboat and with the help of the Coastguard they were carried through the mud to where their friend was.

The three were taken by waiting ambulances to St Mary’s Hospital on the island.

Mark Harker, lifeboat helm, said: ‘They were very cold and stunned and because it was dark there was a good chance they could have been hit by one of the other boats milling around at the end of the festival.’