Date: 22 Dec 2003
Time: 15:48
On 13 December 2003, it was reported to Solent Coastguard (UK) that a male adult windsurfer was missing in the Western Solent area between Calshott and Gurnard on the Isle of Wight.
Solent Coastguard immediately requested the Coastguard Rescue Helicopter India Juliet from Lee On Solent and the Lymington and Calshott lifeboats to search the area. Coastguard Rescue Teams from Lymington, Needles and Southampton were also involved in the search.
The Coastguard Rescue Helicopter found the windsurfer at 3.50pm clinging to a bouy in the Solent and he was winched into the Calshott lifeboat, where the crew assessed that he was suffering from hypothermia after two hours in the water. The casualty was then winched into the Coastguard Helicopter and transferred directly to Lords Hill Hospital in Southampton.
The man was an experienced windsurfer who had been out windsurfing with a female windsurfing partner during the afternoon. She had raised the alarm after he did not return to the shore.
Conditions at the scene were West South Westerly winds force 7, gusting to gale force 8, with poor visibility, rain and a moderate sea.