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Kayakers assisted by Hartlepool RNLI volunteers

Lifeboats News Release

A kayaker required assistance from Hartlepool RNLI when he was unable to get back into his kayak after falling out whilst suffering a bout of seasickness.

RNLI/Tom Collins

Kayaks being transferred to the Hartlepool RNLI inshore lifeboat. Pic by Tom Collins
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His fellow kayaker stayed with him whilst he contacted Humber Coastguard and in the meantime a nearby angling boat assisted the duo by taking them into their boat and and tying their kayaks alongside.

The Hartlepool inshore lifeboat with volunteer crew launched at 1.15pm and was alongside the casualty off the Heugh Breakwater at the Headland, Hartlepool within a few minutes. They then escorted the vessel back to Hartlepool lifeboat station where the kayaks were transferred to the ilb and the two kayakers were transferred from the angling boat to the all weather lifeboat pontoon and to the boathouse where they were met by the local Coastguard team.
The two men then prepared their kayaks and paddled across to the Fish Sands at the Headland where they had earlier launched from.

57 year old kayaker Andy Holmes of Bishop Auckland said ‘Despite my best efforts to get back into the kayak both myself and my colleague thought it was best to call the Coastguard for assistance.
The RNLI Volunteers were with us very quickly and I can’t thank them enough for there help and I would also like to thank the angling boat that also came to our assistance.’

Inshore lifeboat helm Mark Barker said 'The kayakers had all the necessary communication and safety equipment and did the right thing by contacting the Coastguard before the situation took a turn for the worse.
It was really good to bring the incident to a safe conclusion'.
Sea state was flat with a 1-2 knot wind.

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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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About the author

Tom Collins
Lifeboat Press Officer, Hartlepool Lifeboat Station

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