Third Kayak rescue in a week for the Sheerness RNLI inshore lifeboat crew
The volunteer crew of the Sheerness RNLI inshore lifeboat were called to rescue kayakers in trouble off the Sheppey coast for the third time in the same week
The Sheerness RNLI volunteers were called at 4.14pm on Saturday 16 July to reports of three kayakers in trouble off Minster after they had been out fishing and were having difficulties getting back to shore.
The crew of the ILB ’Eleanor’ located the three kayaks at 4.38pm in the vicinity of ‘D’ Beacon approximately one mile offshore from The Leas. One male person had been in the water for approximately 20 minutes after his kayak had developed a leak and was feeling the effects of the cold being dressed only in shorts and a tee shirt, but fortunately wearing a buoyancy aid.
The crew quickly pulled him from the water and took him on board the ILB
A second male kayaker who was perfectly ok and had gone to the aid of the casualty in the water pointed out that a third kayaker was also in trouble some distance away.
The ILB quickly came alongside this craft and its exhausted middle aged male occupant who was also taken on board the lifeboat. Both casualties were then taken back to the lifeboat station, with the damaged kayak in tow, where they were met by a Kent ambulance crew and checked over.
The kayaker who was not in trouble paddled back to shore at the Shingle Bank with assistance from the third ILB crew member alongside paddling the other serviceable craft.
Sheerness lifeboat coxswain Robin Castle said: ‘once again a life threatening situation has been averted due to the swift actions of the lifeboat crew.’
The ILB was ready for service again at 6.00pm
Ends
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