Bridlington and Flamborough RNLI volunteers save two injured kayakers

The Flamborough lifeboat was the first to be tasked to the scene at 7:42pm on Saturday evening in response to reports of two kayakers that had capsized near the Breil Newk headland. The two kayakers had made their way to the shore but had suffered cuts and bruises in doing so. The decision was then made that two volunteers from Flamborough lifeboat station would swim to the casualties to further assess the situation.

Because of the location of the pair and the UK Coastguard helicopter being on another call, Bridlington RNLI's inshore lifeboat (ILB) was tasked with extracting the casualties. On arrival at the scene the lifeboat crew negotiated the swell and backwash with the help of the Flamborough lifeboat volunteers to reach the men. From there the kayakers were taken to the waiting Flamborough lifeboat to be taken to shore to have their injuries assessed.

Bridlington ILB's helm for this job was Ad Trower who explained: 'We couldn't wait for the tide to make the job easier due to the men's condition, they needed to be taken off, but with the two Flamborough crew there to guide us in it made the job easier.'

The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea and this rescue would not have been possible without charitable donations. Bridlington RNLI is hosting a virtual lifeboat weekend from the 25 July, anyone wishing to donate can visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/bridlington-lifeboats?fbclid=IwAR2etA9g_yXEQRP0VTX-LqLHc7tw4Yde9erMdVdZHtLzkEw9hjLO8deXS3E.

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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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