Incident Report

A kayaker was rescued from the sea off Redcar by RNLI lifeboat after he capsized, leaving him clinging to the upturned craft.

The alarm was raised just after 4pm when the kayak was seen to be upturned by waves, approximately a quarter of a mile from the lifeboat station on the Esplanade, Redcar. 

Coastwatch Redcar contacted Humber Coastguard who requested the launch of the Redcar RNLI inshore lifeboat Jacky Hunsley. 

The man was quickly found and brought ashore to the lifeboat station where crew members and the RNLI doctor gave first aid and carried out medical checks. 

Dave Cocks from Redcar RNLI said: 'The man was picked up about a quarter of a mile out from the lifeboat station. The incoming tide was causing a bit of a jumble of waves and his kayak was hit side-on by a wave, making it overturn. 

'Luckily he was spotted and the lifeboat was quickly on scene. 

'He was shivering violently and he told the crew he had inhaled some seawater, so we called for our doctor to give him a check-over. Fortunately his lungs were clear.' 

The man, aged 55 years from Middlesbrough, told the RNLI crew he had been fishing from the kayak when the wave struck. He had been immersed in the sea for around 10 minutes, clinging to the capsized kayak, before he was able to right it and climb back on board. 

Dave Cocks added: 'The man was well equipped as far as wearing a buoyancy aid and wetsuit, but he only had a mobile phone to raise the alarm and that had become waterlogged. 

'We always advise anyone who goes out on the sea to take a waterproof marine VHF radio to raise the alarm, and to get proper training in how to use it. The radio puts the person in trouble in direct contact with the coastguards who can then direction-find their location, making rescue much more straightforward.'

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