Speedboat survivors tell of terror (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Speedboat survivors tell of terror

The boat's owner Bob Whitbread, centre, with son Craig, left, and friend Steven Burnett Pic ref: 78789-67WHEN a huge wave swamped his speedboat Bob Whitbread's first thought was how he was going to save his son and friends.

The skipper knew they were too far from shore to swim and the group had no idea that anyone could hear their cries for help.

Now safely back home in Swindon he says he will always be grateful to the people who saved their lives after a day out at the Dorset seaside turned disastrously wrong.

"My first thought was how am I going to save these people," said Mr Whitbread, 44.

"I thought 'I need these people to live, how do I save them? How do we save ourselves?'"

Mr Whitbread, who has been driving a speedboat for six years, was with his 16-year-old son Craig, his niece's boyfriend Steve Burnett, 25, and a friend and his son.

They went out from Weymouth in the boat on Saturday morning then had a barbecue on a beach along the coast at lunchtime.

"I saw the very top of a grey cloud coming over the cliff," said Mr Whitbread, of Park South.

"I said 'let's go, I don't like the look of that cloud'.

"We set off and it was fine. Suddenly we were caught by a strong wave, which turned the boat.

"I looked to the side and there was just a wall of water which stood the boat on its end.

"Then a second big wave hit us and swamped the boat.

"It literally filled us up with water."

The force of the water opened a waterproof locker containing a radio and mobile phones, leaving the group with no way of calling for help.

So Mr Whitbread, who runs a cleaning and maintenance company, and his friend, who does not want to be named, took off their lifejackets to wave to the shore.

"We shouted like there was no tomorrow," said Mr Whitbread.

"The worst feeling in the world was that we didn't know if anybody had seen or heard us.

"I looked round to see how far the shore was and I immediately realised it was too far to swim."

The group started bailing frantically but, with the boat having lost power, did not know how they would get back to shore even if the boat did not sink until they saw the rescue helicopter arrive.

"You just want something to happen in your favour then I saw this big white bird flying across the coastline," said Mr Whitbread.

"After what seemed like a lifetime and a half it came towards us.

"Just the fact that it was above us meant all the fear, all the worries started melting away."

The helicopter crew held up signs saying lifeboats were on their way but by the time they arrived Mr Burnett was cold and disorientated and had to be winched into the helicopter and flown to hospital.

But being winched to safety is not something Mr Burnett, who lives on Commercial Road and is a car valeter, wants to go through again.

"It was frightening," he said. "People say it is fun but I didn't like it at all."

The rest of the group were taken back to shore by the lifeboats and Mr Whitbread said the gratitude he feels for the lifeboat crews from Weymouth RNLI is endless.

"You can't put into words the instant affection and admiration you feel for these people," he said.

"They have just saved not just my life but the lives of some of the closest people to me."

Isabel Field