TRAWLER TRAGEDY - DEATH TOLL THREE

It is believed the Zeebrugge Z122 trawler overturned on Tuesday afternoon after snagging its nets. Emergency teams were called at 8.30am on Wednesday after a passing vessel spotted a man clinging to the upturned hull of a boat around 15 miles south-east of Newhaven. Lifeboats from Newhaven and Eastbourne were launched along with a coastguard helicopter.

Newhaven Lifeboat Coxswain Ian Johns said: 'We were able to recover two of the crew from the water but one of my crewmen went into the water to retrieve a body but it sank beneath the waves before this was possible.'

The helicopter was first on scene and airlifted the only survivor, a 19-year-old Belgian, to Eastbourne District General Hospital. He had survived for 13 hours at sea, in temperatures as low as seven degrees.

Mr Johns said: 'It is amazing he managed to survive for so long.'

The Coroners Officer said the two bodies were recovered were those of Patrick Gustave Geryl & Geert Charles Alice Meyers, aged 41 years.