Kyle of Lochalsh RNLI rescue drifting kayaker with a broken paddle
Kyle of Lochalsh RNLI's volunteer crew were paged at 9:56am Saturday 16 December, to assist a lone kayaker who was drifting between the Crowlin and Longay islands
Kyle lifeboat Spirit of Fred. Olsen launched at 10:08am and made best speed towards the last known location of the casualty close to Longay island. The crew arrived on scene at 10:16am and after making radio contact with him, began a search of the area.
They located the casualty at 10:26am, and after a quick assessment to confirm that he was not injured, transferred him on-board the lifeboat. The lifeboat then took the kayaker and his kayak back to Broadford where he was dropped off at 10:51am.
The lifeboat then returned to Kyle and was refuelled and ready for service at 11:15am.
Speaking of the incident, a Kyle RNLI spokesperson said: ‘The kayaker had left Broadford this morning and was making his way to the Uags area of the Applecross peninsula, when his paddle snapped in half. He sensibly turned around and began trying to make his way back towards the shelter of Longay island, where we located him uninjured but very cold’.
Notes to editors:
- The picture shows the kayaker and his kayak on-board the lifeboat on the way in to Broadford. Please credit the picture to Kyle RNLI
- For further details on the casualty, please contact the UK Coastguard
RNLI media contacts:
Andrew MacDonald, Kyle of Lochalsh RNLI Volunteer Press Officer on 07748 707606 or [email protected]
Or Henry Weaver, RNLI Public Relations Manager Scotland, 01738 642946, 07771 943026, [email protected]
Or contact RNLI Public Relations on 01202 336789.
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The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.
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