Windsurfers must consider weather, says coastguard after Hayling death

It comes after the death of a man in his 50s who was found face down in the water off Hayling Island yesterday.

A Coastguard spokeswoman said: ‘The weather for today is a four or a five and it will go up to a six, which really is a strong breeze.

‘It’s good weather for them.’

But she added the Coastguard does not make recommendations as to whether surfers should head out on the water or not.

She added: ‘It’s up to them to make their own decisions.’

‘They tend to know their stuff.’

Meanwhile, people have posted tributes on The News Faecbook page and on windsurfing forum websites.

Matt Rollestone said: ‘Such sad news just before Christmas....... Windsurf in peace.’

Lindsey Cann added: ‘Dreadful... poor man poor family.... Thinking of them all...’

As reported yesterday, a dinghy crew found the man’s body, brought him aboard and took him back to shore.

The man was taken to Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham by helicopter, where he was pronounced dead.

The Coastguard helicopter from Lee-on-the-Solent, three RNLI lifeboats, police and paramedics were called to the beach.

The scene was cleared by 1pm.