Coastguard warning to kayakers and canoeists following incidents along Northumberland coast

Rescue teams are now also urging those heading out to sea to ensure they are wearing safety jackets and appropriate clothing as it can ‘quite literally save your life’.

Horwick Coastguard rescue team were first called at shortly before 2pm on Sunday, June 13, alongside Seahouses Lifeboat Station and HM Coastguard Holy Island, to an overdue kayaker at Budle Bay.

A search of the beach was carried out after the team spoke to the first informant.

While this was taking place, a nearby vessel responded to the ‘Pan Pan’ call put out by Humber MRCC saying that they had spotted a kayak matching the description of the missing vessel.

Seahouses inshore lifeboat attended the area and found it to be the overdue kayaker and escorted him safely back to shore where he was assessed for injuries.

At around 3.25pm, the team were just finishing their debrief from the first incident when they were called to Beadnell Harbour where two canoeists were calling for help from the rocks at the north end of the harbour.

A spokesman for Horwick Coastguard said: “Once on scene, contact was made with the first informant who pointed out the canoeists making their way up the rocks.

"The team met them coming off the rocks and ascertained they were uninjured and gave appropriate safety advice.

"The team and lifeboat then stood down. In both of the above incidents none of the kayakers/canoeists were wearing flotation devices and all had inappropriate clothing for being out at sea.

“We cannot emphasise enough how important it is to wear the correct equipment and a flotation device. It will quite literally save your life.”

Finally at around 4.15pm, the team attended Craster Harbour, along with Craster Lifeboat Station RNLI, to search for a diver reported missing one mile north of the coastal village.

Just as the team arrived on the scene, the diver was thankfully located and picked up by the dive boat – thankfully they were safe and well.

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