At 12:30 today, H.M. Coastguard tasked Exmouth RNLI to assist in the search for two kayakers who had been separated from their group for over 30 minutes.
The Exmouth ILB, ‘George Bearman II’ and its three volunteer crew launched at 12:38, followed shortly after by the Exmouth RNLI Lifeguard rescue water craft
The kayakers had last been seen near Number 1 buoy in the River Exe channel and, upon arrival, the ILB and the lifeguard engaged directly with the crew of the local range safety boat, the Smit Cern, who were able to confirm the exact location of the casualties. One kayaker was struggling in the water in challenging 1m swell near their kayak, whilst the second kayaker was waving for assistance.
The ILB crew swiftly pulled the struggling kayaker from the water and headed back to the safety of the lifeboat station at best speed. The lifeguard jet-ski escorted the second kayaker to the safety of the shore.
Upon arrival back at Exmouth Lifeboat Station, the casualty was met by paramedics from South West Ambulance services where they were assessed and later taken to hospital for further checks.
We would like to thank the crew of the Smit Cerne and our RNLI lifeguard colleagues for their timely assistance and we wish the casualty a swift recovery.
Although the current weather conditions are beautiful, the strong tidal conditions have resulted in a number of shouts for our volunteers in the last 24 hours. We advise all water users to check conditions before entering the water, take appropriate safety equipment for their chosen activity and carry a means of communication.
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