Blyth RNLI come to the assistance of a kayaker in Blyth Bay
On Thursday 15 August at 11.53am the volunteer crew at Blyth RNLI were paged.
UK Coastguard had received reports that a kayaker was in need of assistance due to the strengthening westerly wind.
The station's D class inshore lifeboat was launched at 12.00pm with three volunteer crew on board.
The initial report was that the kayaker was by the West Pier at Blyth and upon arriving on scene the volunteer crew observed that they were being signalled by people on the beach by the bandstand.
Approaching the beach the volunteer crew realised that they were being given a bearing that the kayaker was on.
The D class inshore lifeboat then made it's way on that bearing and the kayaker was then spotted shortly after some way from the initial reports given.
The casualty and their kayak were then retrieved and the volunteer crew made their way back to the lifeboat station within the Port of Blyth.
At 12.26pm the D Class inshore lifeboat was met by the Blyth Coastguard Rescue Team at the station.
Volunteer Helm Mark Walker said; 'We launched to reports of a kayaker requiring assistance and once we had located him, it was apparent that the wind had taken the kayaker by surprise,and taken them further from the coast. We were pleased with the outcome and the casualty was in good spirits.'
The RNLI and their Respect the Water campaign provides useful information regarding activities including kayaking and canoeing and details can be found here https://rnli.org/safety/choose-your-activity/kayaking-and-canoeing
RNLI Media Contacts
For more information please telephone Robin Palmer, RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07801 290638 or
[email protected] or Clare Hopps, Regional Media Officer (North and East) on 07824 518641
[email protected] or the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.
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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