Kayakers rescued and broken down boat keeps Poole volunteers busy
Poole Lifeboat was tasked today (Oct 27) by UK Coastguard to a vessel broken down near the harbour entrance.
The lifeboat was soon on-scene and towed the vessel back to Baiter Park slipway.
The lifeboat was re-fuelled and ready for service by midday.
The pagers rang out for the 2nd time today as a report came in of two people in difficulty in an inflatable kayak.
Two teenagers had set out for a paddle in an inflatable kayak and found themselves in difficulty. The strong northerly wind had taken them to a shoreline between Russel Quay and the entrance to the Wareham River. The teenagers were getting increasingly cold and realising their predicament called for help but were unsure of their exact location.
Both Poole Lifeboats launched and proceeded to search from Rockley Point towards the Wareham River. It wasn’t long before the D class spotted two people on a secluded shore waving which turned out to be the two kayakers.
The two people were found to be extremely cold so a quick evacuation was required. The inshore lifeboat took the two people onboard and took them out to the Lifeboat which was standing by in deeper water. The crew wrapped the pair up to avoid them getting any colder and best speed was made for Poole Lifeboat Station.
On arrival at the lifeboat station they were given dry clothes and and a warm drink, no further medical attention was required.
Volunteer helm Ed Davies said ‘the weather has really changed this weekend and the wind was bitterly cold and blowing from the north. The teenagers had buoyancy aids on and did the right thing to call for help when they realised they were in difficulty.
Key facts about the RNLI
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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