Two kayakers rescued half a mile off the coast near Portreath
St. Agnes RNLI’s D-Class lifeboat launched to assist two males, drifting out to sea in an inflatable kayak.
St. Agnes RNLI crew members were paged at 4.16pm in response to concerns for a small craft seen drifting away from shore.
The D-Class Lifeboat, with helm Gavin Forehead and crew members Paul Fisher and Lloyd Stein headed to Portreath. The lifeboat launched at 4.20pm and reached the kayak in under 15 minutes from launching. Two males were discovered struggling against an offshore wind in a rising swell, half a mile off the coast of Portreath. The men were fishing from the inflatable.
The casualties were taken to Portreath, where they were met by the Portreath Coastguard Search and Rescue Team.
While you are allowed out for daily exercise, the RNLI do not recommend that this exercise is on or in the sea. Our charity’s lifeboat service is still available but every time a lifeboat crew is called to an incident, it puts additional pressure on RNLI volunteers and other front line emergency services as well as potentially exposing them to COVID-19.
The lifeboat returned to Trevaunance Cove where it was extensively cleaned, and vital lifesaving equipment was disinfected. The St. Agnes RNLI Lifeboat was refuelled, rehoused, and ready for service at 6pm.
For further information in relation to safety at the beach, with inflatables or kayaking, please follow these links:
https://rnli.org/safety/beach-safety
https://rnli.org/safety/choose-your-activity/kayaking-and-canoeing
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.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.