A boat operator who was left stranded out at sea for two nights after the vessel’s engine failed will be brought before the courts.

Police have revealed that the owner of the overdue vessel, De Wocka Flocka, has been issued with ‘several summons’ and will appear at Magistrates’ Court in the near future.

Inspector Robert Cardwell, Officer Responsible for the Marine Unit, urged mariners to take responsibility for their watercraft and ensure they had the required safety and communications equipment on-board.

He added: “There are some serious concerns around the tragedy that could have resulted from this incident, which was avoidable.

“As the summer comes to an end, it is a timely opportunity to remind mariners of the requirement to have available in their vessels all of the prescribed safety equipment by law, which includes life jackets, flares and a working VHF radio.

“Leaflets on the details of what is required are available on the Bermuda Water Safety Council website www.wsc.bm

“On a separate note, I would like to commend the operator of the dive boat that came to the assistance of the two persons involved in this incident.”

The BPS Marine Unit as well as Bermuda Radio were involved in the search and recovery mission for the vessel, that was launched on Saturday.

The man and the woman on board the 17ft vessel had put out to sea last Thursday.

But the alarm was only raised when they failed to turn up at work on Saturday morning.

The pair had been at anchor some five miles off the West End when they were rescued by Blue Waters Diving’s boat Modern Sinbad after its captain Chris Gauntlett heard them sounding a small hand-powered air horn.

The Modern Sinbad towed the boat, normally moored at Mill’s Creek in Pembroke, into Ely’s Harbour early on Saturday morning.