Fisherman spent 11 hours clinging to capsized boat

The only presumed survivor from a fishing boat that capsized in the English Channel has spoken of how quickly the tragedy unfolded.

Johny Ronsijns spent 11 hours clinging to the Belgian-registered vessel after it got into difficulty several miles off Ramsgate in Kent on Tuesday night.

A second crew member was also rescued but later died while a third man is missing presumed dead.

Mr Ronsijns said: "The ship capsized in one, two, three... it was that fast."

The fisherman, who was winched to safety, told Belgian TV: "The worst thing is your colleagues who can't come with you.

"It's a lottery. I've got the main prize, they've got nothing."

Mr Ronsijns, 50, who has been a fisherman since the age of 14, said he had "heard something" but did not know what before the ship overturned.

He said: "I came up and saw the ship because the lights were still burning underwater. I could orientate myself and swam to the ship.

"You hang on tight and go with the flow and when it goes down, you can climb up."

Mr Ronsijns, from Eernegem, said it had been difficult to cope in the freezing temperatures.

He said his legs down to his feet went blue.

"I kept my head warm by pulling my sweater over my head and blowing into it.

"I moved my hands, and if my hands got too cold, I (urinated) on them. It was absolutely freezing."

The search for the third fisherman was stopped on Thursday.

An investigation into the cause of the incident, which happened at about 23:00 GMT, will be carried out by Belgian authorities as will a missing person inquiry, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said.

A temporary exclusion zone has been put in place around the vessel to allow a salvage operation to take place.

It is understood the vessel will be taken back to Zeebrugge.