Local man, 79, swims to safety after boat capsizes

A 79-year old local man swam to rocks at Europa Point after his small fishing boat capsized in rough waters yesterday morning.

He swam to the rocks below Lighthouse Cottages and managed to pull himself out of the water, the Royal Gibraltar Police said in a statement.

The man set out in his small fishing boat at around 6.30am yesterday morning.

However, at around 9am, the RGP Marine Section received a report of a vessel in distress off Europa Point.

The man received emergency treatment from the Gibraltar Fire and Rescue Service before being taken to St Bernard’s Hospital for injuries.

“Although shaken and disorientated, he sustained no life threatening injuries,” the RGP added.

The RGP said a multi-agency search was carried out involving the Gibraltar Port Authority, HM Customs, the Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron and the Department of the Environment and Climate Change.

Due to the adverse weather conditions and the rough seas, further RGP officers and the Gibraltar Fire and Rescue Services were called to assist in the search from the shoreline.

The boat eventually sank after it crashed against the rocks.