By Claire Warrender

THREE MEN were rescued after their speedboat capsized in the freezing waters of the Firth of Forth yesterday.

Another man who had been aboard the stricken vessel swam for nearly an hour to reach the shore to raise the alarm following the incident near Wemyss Castle, two miles east of Kirkcaldy.

All four, who are in their 20s and 30s, were treated in hospital for hypothermia.

The 12ft speedboat overturned shortly after 1pm and the coastguard was alerted by the man who swam nearly a mile.

Kinghorn Lifeboat was immediately launched and a Royal Navy rescue helicopter from RNAS Prestwick was also scrambled.

The lifeboat crew arrived to find three men clinging to the upturned hull of the boat and one of them had to be pulled from the water.

Lifeboat skipper Mike McErlane estimated they had been stuck there for at least 50 minutes and described them as “hypothermic.”

They were then helped into the lifeboat and taken to Dysart dock where they were treated by waiting paramedics before being taken to Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy as a precaution.

It was reported that the men had taken the boat out only once before.

A coastguard spokesman said the boat had been overloaded. Fortunately, sea conditions had been good.

Meanwhile, the speedboat was towed back to shore by a nearby fishing vessel.

Calum MacDonald, watch manager at the Forth Maritime and Rescue Co-ordination Centre, said later, “All the crew were inexperienced, but were at least wearing light buoyancy aids which certainly aided their survival as they were in the water for nearly an hour.

“This highlights the importance that, when setting out to sea, you ensure that you are always wearing a lifejacket, take a reliable form of communication…and make sure that you tell someone at home where you are going and when they can expect you back.”