Fisherman's family praise 'devastated' trawler crew
Mum Jackie Leaman has met crew members who managed to pull son James from the sea in 'atrocious' weather conditions in the English Channel on Friday.
James, 24, fell overboard from the trawler Korenbloem while working about 20 miles off Hastings, East Sussex. He died despite a desperate battle to save him.
Mrs Leaman said the fishermen, including Joe Fellowes and John-Paul Kimble, arranged the meeting to talk about the rescue attempt and their last moments with her son.
Mrs Leaman said: "I have seen them and they are broken men — grown men crying. Words can't express the pain they are feeling. They are devastated.
"I want to thank them for holding on to him so we could see him one more time.
"We are meeting with them again. We will we give each other as much comfort as possible."
Meanwhile, French coastguards have spoken for the first time of their involvement in the dramatic rescue attempt.
Christophe Sonnefraud, assistant director with Cap Gris Nez coastguards near Calais, said his team received a call for help from their Dover counterparts after 7pm on Friday.
He said: "The English coastguards assessed the casualty over the phone after receiving the initial VHF distress call. The crew carried out the original first aid.
"They said the man who fell over board needed immediate evacuation and proper medical attention.
"They gave us a call and we launched our Dolphin helicopter from Cap Gris Nez.
"We picked up a doctor from Boulogne hospital and made for the fishing vessel.
"There were very difficult weather conditions made worse by the fact the fishing vessel was unable to bring up its fishing gear out of the water and could not manoeuvre to offer the best position for the helicopter."
Mr Sonnefraud said the fishing gear limited the movement of the Korenbloem which made it more difficult to bring the winch line down.
He added: "Our experienced diver dived in the water and reached the boat. He managed to get hold of the casualty and they were winched back on to the helicopter.
"The Dolphin then made its way to the Mounts Bay ship which had proper hospital facilities on board."
The rescue mission is understood to have taken less than 50 minutes from the time the French authorities received a call from Dover coastguards.
The Dolphin is smaller than the Sea King rescue helicopter and carries two pilots, an engineer and a diver and has room for a doctor and a nurse.
Mum Mrs Leaman said it was poignant her son, who had served in the Navy, had been taken ashore by the first vessel he had worked on.
She also said James had been shown great honour by those on board the ship and the crew lined the deck as his body was handed over.
She said it gave the family great comfort to know that the matter had been handled with the utmost dignity.
"The captain told my son that the whole company was in tears," she said.
"He said it is the first time they have had to do this and they were honoured to have to do it."
The boat's Captain Gerry Patterson said: "We gave him a huge amount of respect as a fellow seaman.
"We covered his coffin with the Merchant Navy Infant flag as a mark of respect for him as a fellow seaman.
"The ship's company, without being asked, expressed a wish to show their respect and lined the deck when he was taken ashore.
"We have retrieved the flag, which is known as the red duster, and it will be passed on to the family."
He added: "The Korenbloem's crew were in bits.
"I am very proud of all their efforts to save him."
The Marine Accident Investigation Board has confirmed it has an investigator in Brixham who will be carrying out a preliminary investigation into the incident.
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