French fishermen saved in Alderney sea drama

FIVE French fishermen were rescued from a liferaft drifting near dangerous waters off Alderney in the early hours of yesterday morning.

They were on board the 17-metre Cap Lizard when the skipper issued a mayday call at 1.15am to report the vessel was capsizing after it struck Burhou Island.

Alderney's lifeboat Roy Barker 1 recovered the crew at 1.45am, shortly before the low water of 1.6m.

All five men were uninjured, although one was in shock. They were taken to Alderney's Mignot Memorial Hospital for check-ups and released at 3am. French military helicopter Dragon 50 flew them to Cherbourg, where they were taken to hospital.

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