Woman rescued after falling overboard from pleasure boat off Isle of Wight

A woman who fell overboard from a pleasure vessel off the Isle of Wight has been rescued following a major search operation.

HM Coastguard launched the operation after being alerted at around 1.45pm on Thursday.

The woman had fallen off the vessel south of Ventnor.

HM Coastguard sent two search and rescue helicopters and a fixed wing aircraft alongside the RNLI’s all-weather lifeboats from Bembridge and Yarmouth, and a Sandown and Shanklin Independent Lifeboat.

Two nearby vessels also supported the search.

The woman was winched safely out of the water by a HM Coastguard helicopter at about 4pm.

She was then flown to St Mary’s Hospital in Newport for a check-up.

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