Kayaker rescued from sea after capsizing off Sunderland coast

Sunderland’s RNLI volunteer team were alerted to the incident at 6.50pm today, Saturday, July 20, after the man ended up in the water outside of the pier.

The charity launched its Atlantic 85 Lifeboat to help with the rescue.

The call out was one of a series along Sunderland’s coastline today.

A spokesman for the RNLI team said of the kayak rescue: “Our volunteer crew quickly located the casualty who had been taken onboard a fishing boat whose crew had seen him in difficulty.

“Our volunteers transferred the man safely onto the lifeboat along with his kayak and took him to shore at Roker Beach where he was met by Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team.”

The rescue follows another by the RNLI and Coastguard late yesterday, when a boat being used by divers suffered a power failure.

The call out for the Coastguard followed another earlier this evening.

A spokesperson said: “A busy afternoon for the search and rescue teams in Sunderland today as we were called out twice within a few hours.

“The first came in at 4.46pm to reports of a person in the water at Dykelands Road in Seaburn.

“As Coastguard officers made their way to the station news came through that the person was safe with the police and we were free to stand down.

“The second incident came in at 6.49pm where Humber Coastguard had received multiple 999 calls reporting a person in the water who was being swept out of the piers after capsizing their kayak.

“The casualty was recovered by a passing boat and transferred to the lifeboat from Sunderland.

“The casualty, who was well equipped, was handed over to Coastguard officers who carried out a welfare check but was no worse for their ordeal.”

The added a reminder people should call 999 and ask for the Coastguard in coastal emergencies.