Russian sailors were left stranded on virtually deserted Welsh island after boozy night out
The 'very cold' trio were rescued after struggling to find their way in foggy conditions and eventually moored up on the deserted island
THREE Russian sailors on a boozy night out were left stranded on a deserted Welsh island.
The “very cold” trio were rescued yesterday morning after they got lost at sea.
The men left their Dutch cargo ship moored off Minehead, Somerset, for a few drinks on Wednesday night.
They set off on a 13ft inflatable for a 15-mile trip across the Bristol Channel to Barry, South Wales.
After downing beer and vodka in the town’s pubs, they headed back at 3am in fog.
But they got lost so moored up on the virtually uninhabited Flat Holm island.
Andy Berry, of nearby Penarth RNLI, said: “They went out in Barry and tried to book accommodation there but failed to do so, so their intention was to return around 3am.
It was foggy and at some stage they realised they could not find their boat and realised it wasn’t wise to continue so they moored up on Flat Holm and the rescue was initiated.”
Mr Berry said the men, in their 20s and 30s, were found shortly after 8am
He said: “All three were very cold and one was incredibly cold so the coastguard rescue helicopter landed on Flat Holm to carry out checks. All three have been taken back to Barry so they can be medically checked over.”
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Pub-owners in Barry were yesterday “tickled pink” after hearing of the rescue.
One said: “There’s been many a time we asked, ‘What shall we do with the drunken sailor?’ But leaving them stranded on an island is a new one on us.”
Flat Holm has one warden looking after it, and a sole pub only open weekends in summer.
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