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| Experts probe fatal boat capsize | Experts probe fatal boat capsize |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A marine accident inquiry has begun into the deaths of three people whose boat capsized in "atrocious" seas off the North Yorkshire coast. | |
| Two men and a woman who were rescued later died after the 24ft cabin cruiser, Last Call, overturned and sank just outside Whitby Harbour on Friday. | Two men and a woman who were rescued later died after the 24ft cabin cruiser, Last Call, overturned and sank just outside Whitby Harbour on Friday. |
| A force eight gale warning was in place and the sea swell was 20-30ft high. | A force eight gale warning was in place and the sea swell was 20-30ft high. |
| Rescuers were praised for their efforts to save the people, who were thought to be from Redcar. | Rescuers were praised for their efforts to save the people, who were thought to be from Redcar. |
| High seas had earlier forced Scarborough Council to seal off the West Pier. | High seas had earlier forced Scarborough Council to seal off the West Pier. |
| The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has begun a preliminary examination into the capsize at about 1215 GMT. | |
| A Whitby RNLI spokesman said the cruiser went out in "atrocious weather conditions". | A Whitby RNLI spokesman said the cruiser went out in "atrocious weather conditions". |
| Witnesses have commented on the brave actions of the Whitby lifeboat crew and the helicopter crew, both operating in very challenging circumstances North Yorkshire Police | Witnesses have commented on the brave actions of the Whitby lifeboat crew and the helicopter crew, both operating in very challenging circumstances North Yorkshire Police |
| A coastguard spokesman said: "The cruiser appears to have left Whitby Harbour and got into difficulties about 100 yards from the sea wall." | A coastguard spokesman said: "The cruiser appears to have left Whitby Harbour and got into difficulties about 100 yards from the sea wall." |
| Lifeboat workers could see 16ft (5m) waves crashing into the boat as it headed out of the harbour. | Lifeboat workers could see 16ft (5m) waves crashing into the boat as it headed out of the harbour. |
| They tried three times to radio the vessel warning it to turn back, without making contact. | They tried three times to radio the vessel warning it to turn back, without making contact. |
| "Soon after leaving the harbour the boat was seen attempting to turn around but capsized in the rough seas," the RNLI spokesman said. | "Soon after leaving the harbour the boat was seen attempting to turn around but capsized in the rough seas," the RNLI spokesman said. |
| Coastguards received a 999 call from the woman on board after the two men were swept overboard. | Coastguards received a 999 call from the woman on board after the two men were swept overboard. |
| The lifeboat rescued the men 100 yards from the West Pier. | The lifeboat rescued the men 100 yards from the West Pier. |
| A rescue helicopter from RAF Leconfield pulled the woman from the sea and took her to James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough. | A rescue helicopter from RAF Leconfield pulled the woman from the sea and took her to James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough. |
| Killer sea | Killer sea |
| A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "Witnesses have commented on the brave actions of the Whitby lifeboat crew and the helicopter crew, both operating in very challenging circumstances." | A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "Witnesses have commented on the brave actions of the Whitby lifeboat crew and the helicopter crew, both operating in very challenging circumstances." |
| A man and the woman died soon after the rescue and the second man died after several hours in hospital. | A man and the woman died soon after the rescue and the second man died after several hours in hospital. |
| Roy Weatherill, Whitby RNLI lifeboat operations manager, said: "The lifeboat launched very quickly and the crew did an absolutely magnificent job to recover the two people from the water." | Roy Weatherill, Whitby RNLI lifeboat operations manager, said: "The lifeboat launched very quickly and the crew did an absolutely magnificent job to recover the two people from the water." |
| "The guys tried to give mouth-to-mouth and first aid, that was their priority until the paramedics took over. | "The guys tried to give mouth-to-mouth and first aid, that was their priority until the paramedics took over. |
| "They are naturally very upset." | "They are naturally very upset." |
| Mike Bill, rescue co-ordination centre manager at Humber Coastguard, warned people to be wary of going out on to rough seas. | Mike Bill, rescue co-ordination centre manager at Humber Coastguard, warned people to be wary of going out on to rough seas. |
| "We can only warn again that the sea is a killer and that in these very rough conditions individuals must be aware of the risks that they take when approaching or going out on the sea," he said. | "We can only warn again that the sea is a killer and that in these very rough conditions individuals must be aware of the risks that they take when approaching or going out on the sea," he said. |
| A spokesman for the Whitby Watchkeepers, a voluntary organisation that provides back-up for coastguards, said that no other boats had left the harbour yesterday. | A spokesman for the Whitby Watchkeepers, a voluntary organisation that provides back-up for coastguards, said that no other boats had left the harbour yesterday. |