"A tragic accident, especially since everyone was wearing a lifejacket — but one of them unfortunately wasn't in working order," said Rain Tiirik, field manager at the Police and Border Guard Board's (PPA) Kuressaare Police Department.

Shortly after 2 p.m. on Saturday, the Emergency Response Center received a call reporting that a plastic boat with four people on board had capsized in the Suur Strait. The boat had been heading toward the island of Muhu.

"At this time, we know that around 2 p.m., the four men set off from the Port of Virtsu in a plastic boat toward Kuivastu to go fishing," Tiirik said. "All of them were sober and wearing lifejackets. At one point, while traveling between Muhu and Viirelaid, the boat began taking on water for an unknown reason, until it could no longer support the men and sank."

Three of the men were wearing foam lifejackets. One of them, a 54-year-old man, managed to swim to shore on Muhu Island on his own. The other two were found floating in the sea and rescued.

The fourth man, who had been wearing an inflatable lifejacket, drowned after it failed to deploy. His body was recovered from the water and brought to shore.

Saturday's rescue operation involved police officers, rescuers and volunteer maritime rescuers from various units.

"Before heading out to sea, always check and make sure that all safety equipment — from lifejackets to communication devices and signal flares — is in working order and easily accessible," Tiirik advised.

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