TWO fishermen were saved by a Navy warship just seconds before their fishing boat sank in Weymouth Bay.

The dramatic rescue was sparked after fishing boat Ocean Echo capsized off Portland Bill at about 8.45am yesterday (Tuesday, October 20).

The crew, a 45-year-old skipper and a 18-year-old man, managed to get out a mayday call which was picked up by nearby HMS Westminster.

It was initially reported by rescuers that they were father and son, but it has emerged that the pair are two friends. 

The frigate raced through the bay at top speed after receiving a mayday from the crew of the Ocean Echo which capsized in heavy seas about three miles off Portland Bill.

As she arrived at the scene 15 minutes later after a five-mile dash, Westminster’s bridge team quickly spotted flares waved by the father and son and the Portsmouth-based warship put one of her boats in the water to rescue them.

The crew of the boat – Leading Seaman Cameron Evans and Able Seamen Leah Mears and Kai Turner – found the Ocean Echo’s two sailors had taken to a life raft.

The pair received a quick medical survey by the Westminster sailors, who decided their injuries meant they could be handed over to Weymouth RNLI lifeboat which arrived on the scene shortly after the warship.

One of the fishermen was subsequently transferred to hospital in Dorchester by the Coastguard helicopter and the second was landed by lifeboat, while the fishing vessel sank as the rescue was taking place.

“Unfortunately Ocean Echo was quickly lost which shows the speed at which incidents like this can escalate and that the swift actions of HMS Westminster enabled a good outcome for the casualties,” said Commander Lou Ray, the frigate’s Commanding Officer.

“This is exactly the sort of reactive incident that the Royal Navy is able to conduct at short notice.

“My ship’s company and I are always prepared to assist our fellow mariners when in difficulty and wish a speedy recovery to the affected fishermen and their families.”

A spokesman for the RNLI said: "One of the fishing crew had sustained a head injury so with the Coastguard helicopter on scene, he was airlifted from the lifeboat and transferred to (Dorset County) hospital.

"The other casualty was taken back to Weymouth lifeboat station where he was handed into the care of the ambulance service."

Portland Bill and Wyke Coastguard Rescue Teams assisted rescue teams on land.

A South Western Ambulance Service spokesman said: "We were called at 9.01am to attend the lifeboat station at Weymouth following reports of an upturned vessel. One patient was transported to hospital by coastguard helicopter. We treated a second patient and transported them to hospital by land."