Newbiggin RNLI rescues anglers in trouble after their kayak started to sink

Newbiggin RNLI was called out just before dusk on Monday, June 3 to after a report from the Coastguard of two people in a swamped kayak just off Church Point.

The lifeboat station’s Atlantic B class lifeboat was launched and headed for the search zone, but was initially unable to sight the casualties due to the fading light.

The lifeboat’s volunteer crew then turned off their equipment and engine to listen, and heard a distant call for help.

This helped them to locate one of the anglers in the water and they soon had visual contact with the other. Their kayak had sunk.

They were taken aboard the lifeboat and returned to the shore, where they were passed over to the care of the North East Ambulance Service.

An NEAS spokesperson said: “We received a call at 10.40pm last night, Monday, June 3, from colleagues at HM Coastguard in Newbiggin to reports of two patients requiring medical attention following an incident in the water.

"We dispatched an ambulance to Newbiggin Lifeboat Station and transported two patients to Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital for further treatment.”