Looe RNLI volunteers rescue kayakers in difficulties off Hannafore Point

Yesterday evening, Thursday 27 August 2020, Falmouth Coastguard Operations Centre received multiple 999 calls reporting persons on two kayaks in difficulties, approximately 150m offshore, from the Sailing Club hut on Hannafore Point. Within six minutes of the pager alert, at 7.16 pm our volunteer shore crew, Paul Barley, Eric Candy and Del Palfrey were launching the charity’s D Class inshore lifeboat Ollie Naismith.

Arriving on scene volunteer crew Clive Palfrey, Toby Bray and Matt Jaycock found two persons, wearing buoyancy aids, on a twin seat, sit on kayak, having difficulties returning to the beach in the moderate seas and force three westerly wind. They were cold and wet and informed our crew that one of the pair was originally in the second craft, a sit in kayak, which had capsized. They were able to right the capsized kayak, allowing one of the group to make their way ashore to raise the alarm. After taking the pair and their kayak back to the beach our crew returned to station to wash down and refuel the lifeboat, ready for the next service call.

END

Notes to editors

No photos from this incident are available

Photos:

· Stock image - Looe RNLI D Class inshore lifeboat Ollie Naismith
Photo credit RNLI / Ian Foster

Information

· Re-established as an inshore lifeboat station in 1992, Looe RNLI operate two inshore lifeboats
An Atlantic 85 Sheila and Dennis Tongue II and a D Class Ollie Naismith

· For further information on Looe RNLI Lifeboats please visit our website www.looelifeboats.co.uk

· Looe RNLI Facebook page www.facebook.com/LooeRNLI

RNLI media contacts

For more information please telephone

Ian Foster, RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for Looe Lifeboat Station, on 07902 753228 or looelpo@ianfoster.com or ian_foster@rnli.org.uk

or Amy Caldwell, RNLI Regional Media Manager, on 07920 818807 or amy_caldwell@rnli.org.uk

or Marianne Quinn, RNLI Regional Media Officer, on 07786 668847 or marianne_quinn@rnli.org.uk

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 over 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and, in a normal year, 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 142,700 lives.

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Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.