KAYAKERS THROWN AGAINST ROCKS



A man and a young child were thrown from their kayak as it capsized off of Thurlestone, South Devon.

Brixham Coastguard received a call at from a member of the public on a nearby golf course; he could hear people screaming from the water below.

Coastguard Rescue Officers from Hope Cove were sent to the scene and the Hope Cove Independent Lifeboat was launched as well as scrambling the Coastguard Rescue helicopter from Portland.

Dave Colmer, Brixham Coastguard, says:

“We were very concerned for the welfare of the two occupants of the kayak; we believe one to be in his late fifties and the other to be ten years old.  They were both being washed up against the rocks; a surfer was able to help assist them by getting in close to the rocks in order to evacuate them to the rescue boat.
The paramedics from the Rescue helicopter assessed the two casualties who were suffering from hypothermia; they were taken to Derriford Hospital by helicopter.”
General advice for kayakers:

  • Make sure that you tell someone at home where you are going and when you expect to come back, ensure they know how to raise the alarm (call 999 and ask for the Coastguard) if you do not return when expected.

  • Communications gear such as a handheld VHF radio and mini flares should be kept somewhere within grabbing distance in case you get into difficulty.

  • A mobile phone inside a sealed plastic bag might be a good back up although do not rely upon it since the signal is not great along the coast.

  • If you really want to invest, a personal locator beacon would be very useful for alerting the emergency services if you are in difficulty, whether at the coast or on land.

Notes to Editors:

  • Stay safe - before heading out on the water get trained, check weather and tides, wear a lifejacket, avoid alcohol and keep in touch
                                                                                                                     
  • Follow us on Twitter. We can be found at  MCA_media

  • The MCA is a partner in the Sea Vision UK campaign to raise awareness and understanding of the sea and maritime activities  http://www.seavisionuk.org/

                                                                          

For further details contact:
The Maritime & Coastguard Agency Duty Press Officer
Office hours: 023 8032 9401Mobile: 07764 624 505
Press releases and further information about the Agency is available on the Web at www.mcga.gov.uk

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