Incredible pictures show baby and three other children being passed to safety by rescuers after father crashed their sinking boat into rocks to save them
- A brave father was praised for his quick-thinking actions to protect his family
- Unnamed man ran his boat into rocks to save his family when it started to sink
- Six people, including a baby and three children, were rescued from the rocks
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A baby and three other children have been pictured as they were passed to safety by rescuers after their father crashed their sinking boat into rocks to save them.
The brave father was praised for his quick-thinking actions as he protected his family, which included a baby, from danger when their 24ft vessel started to sink.
The family were enjoying a day at sea off the coast of Devon when the boat rapidly took on water.
The father, whose name is unknown, ran the stricken boat aground on rocks near Torquay, Devon, which allowed the family to all get to safety.
A baby was lifted to safety by rescue teams. A brave father was praised for his quick-thinking actions as he protected his family from danger when their 24ft vessel started to sink
The family were enjoying a day at sea off the coast of Devon when the boat rapidly took on water. A light diesel slick 25m by 150m was reportedly leaking from the vessel, which was a former commercial fishing boat called Sea Breeze (pictured)
A total of six people were rescued by lifeboats and taken ashore but the boat couldn’t be saved and is due to be recovered today.
RNLI Torbay has now published images of the dramatic moment the baby and three young children were carried to safety.
Coxswain Mark Criddle said the family were enjoying a sunny afternoon out when their boat started to sink.
He said: ‘This man did absolutely the right thing in running their boat onto the rocks where they all managed to scramble to safety.
‘We launched both RNLI Torbay lifeboats to the scene because their position was unsure and we knew we had to find them quickly.
A total of six people were rescued by lifeboats and taken ashore but the boat (pictured) couldn’t be saved and is due to be recovered today
The father smashed into rocks near a natural feature on the coastline known as London Bridge
‘When we arrived on scene our volunteers ferried the young children one by one to the safety of our all-weather lifeboat, followed by the adults.
‘The family were distressed but otherwise unharmed although their vessel could not be saved. This man’s quick-thinking saved his family’s life.’
The father smashed into rocks near a natural feature on the coastline known as London Bridge.
Two boats from the Torbay Harbour Authority went to the scene to recover debris and disperse spilled fuel.
A light diesel slick 25m by 150m was reportedly leaking from the vessel, which was a former commercial fishing boat called Sea Breeze, according to Devon Live.