Kayaker rescued by off-duty Newquay RNLI volunteer

RNLI Deputy Launching Authority Phil Morris was skippering the charter fishing boat Orca when he spotted a group of four kayakers waving for help, 20-metres off the headland. As he approached the group, Phil could see that one of them was in difficulty in the water after his kayak had taken on water and was sinking.

Another member of the kayaker group managed to get the casualty over to Phil’s boat and he was brought safely onboard.

With the help of a local RNLI lifeguard, Phil was able to retrieve the sinking kayak and had already made a call to the Coastguard to inform them of the situation and alert Newquay RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew.

Having launched the charity’s D-class inshore lifeboat, RNLI volunteers arrived on scene five minutes after being paged at around 3.40pm. A member of the lifeboat crew boarded the fishing vessel and checked the casualty and confirmed he was well and had no injuries.

Phil returned the casualty, kayak and lifeboat crew member to the harbour entrance where they transferred into the lifeboat and were taken ashore.

Phil said: ‘Luckily my attempts to recover the person went smoothly, but it was a great relief to see Mike, Dan and James heading my way in the lifeboat, in case the situation had worsened’.

If you see someone in difficulty at the coast, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

Notes to editors

• Photo – Orca and D-class transferring kayak - credit Bob Quinn
• Newquay lifeboat station first opened in 1860. Today’s RNLI volunteers operate two inshore lifeboats and are on call 24-hours-a-day to save live lives at sea. You can donate to Newquay RNLI online and support the work of our lifeboat volunteers at: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/newquay-rnli-lifesavers-fund-2021

RNLI media contacts

For more information please contact Ann-Marie Dale, Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer, at [email protected].

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 more than 240 lifeguard unit

s 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 142,200 lives.

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 142,700 lives.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter 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.