Sidmouth: two call-outs for lifeboat on same evening

A struggling kayaker and the crew of a broken-down boat were aided by Sidmouth Lifeboat in two separate call-outs on Monday, September 20.

At around 18:16 a member of the public called the boathouse to report that his son had phoned him from his kayak, saying he was having difficulty paddling back in against the tide.

The lifeboat launched and located the kayaker, a little tired but otherwise in good spirits, around 1.5 miles off the coast of Sidmouth.

The kayaker and kayak were taken aboard and returned to Sidmouth.

Immediately afterwards, the lifeboat responded to a Pan Pan call – an alert issued for a situation that is urgent but non-life-threatening – from a boat that had broken down off Sherborne Rocks. On arrival, the lifeboat crew found that the vessel was having engine trouble and needed to be towed back to Axmouth Harbour.

A spokesperson for Sidmouth Lifeboat said: "The vessel was well-maintained, had recently been serviced and all persons on board had lifejackets. The owner had a good knowledge of the sea conditions, a VHF radio and appropriate training.

"They had done everything right, which just goes to show that sometimes things just happen that are out of your control, which highlights the importance of being properly equipped for the sea."

Sidmouth Lifeboat crew towed the vessel back to Axmouth and returned to the station.

Helm: Si Priestley

Tractor Driver: Pete Rosenfeld

DLA: Andy Mitchell