Teenager hailed a hero as sea four are saved (From Western Telegraph)

Teenager hailed a hero as sea four are saved

36News: Teenage hero A TEENAGER risked his own life to save his family after their fishing boat was hit by a freak wave off Amroth on Thursday evening.

Fifteen-year-old David Matthews has been hailed a hero, after diving underwater to fetch a flare from a submerged locker.

But he said: I just did what I had to. My lungs were bursting but I had to get the flares - our lives depended on them.

Coastguards said that the Ammanford familys story could have turned into tragedy if the firing of the flare had not led to the rescue, which involved an RAF helicopter, Tenby lifeboats and Coastguards.

David; his grandfather Andrew, aged 59; his uncle Meurig, 43, and Meurigs father, John, 65, had left Pendine for a fishing trip on board their 15-foot vessel, Nonina III, at 2 pm.

At 6.30 pm, they were hit by a wave and were thrown to one side of the boat, which quickly filled with water and began to sink. They spent nearly two hours clinging to the upturned boat in gathering darkness.

Then David decided to try to get to some distress flares from a submerged locker. He dived underwater to find his bearings. And he then made a second dive and managed to retrieve the flares.

The second flare was spotted by three separate people who called 999 and reported the sighting to Milford Haven Coastguard.

The first was seen by an off-duty policeman who saw the flare through a pair of binoculars he had only bought that day, and other reports came from Marros and Saundersfoot.

A cross-bearing of all three sightings identified the flare as coming from near Ragwen Point, between Marros and Pendine, and the Tenby inshore and all-weather lifeboats were launched and the Tenby Coastguard unit requested to assist.

The inshore lifeboat rescued one of the men, who had attempted to swim to shore to raise the alarm. The other three were picked up shortly afterwards. They were transferred to the all-weather lifeboat and taken to Saundersfoot where they were met by two waiting ambulances and an RAF search and rescue helicopter from Chivenor.

They were taken to Withybush Hospital suffering from hypothermia and allowed home after treatment. One of the men, who had a previously broken arm in a sling, had also ingested some motor fuel.

Said Milford Haven Coastguard watch manager Nigel Porter: These men are incredibly lucky to have survived this ordeal.The fact that three separate people saw their red flare and knew to report it to the Coastguard is very fortunate.

The incident highlights the importance of red flares, and, in this case, carrying the flares made a huge contribution towards saving these mens lives.