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Kayaker rescued off St Bees

The rescued Kayaker, Terry Hartley, before setting off. Credit: St Bees RNLI
St Bees lifeboat setting off on the rescue Credit: St Bees RNLI

A kayaker who capsized in choppy seas had to be rescued by helicopter in a major search and rescue operation off St Bees head in Cumbria.

The rescue involved five RNLI boats from St Bees, Workington, Barrow, Douglas and Ramsey as well as the Maryport Inshore Rescue boat and the coast guard helicopter.

The rescue began at 9:25am this morning when local lifeboat volunteers were scrambled

The man, Terry Hartley from Colne in Lancashire, had got into trouble during an attempt to cross from St Bees to the Isle of Man.

It took around two hours before he was found by the helicopter. He was winched to safety.

He was taken by the helicopter to Workington RNLI’s lifeboat station but was uninjured in the incident.

Mr Hartley said he had been training in his kayak and had been planning the solo trip for several months.

But about two hours into his attempt, he said that a freak 10-foot wave had swamped his boat.

After 40 minutes trying to get the boat to right itself, he realised he needed help but found that he didn't have the means to call for rescue.

It was only by chance that he got a brief signal on his mobile phone enabling him to contact the coast guard.

He said he was doing the 33-mile crossing as an adventure and has vowed to attempt it again.

"I wasn't panicking. I thought that one way or another I'd get out of it. I understand the power of the sea. I'd chosen a calm day, it was just a wave that caught me. I just wanted to do something different and have an adventure."

– Terry Hartley

"It was great to see five lifeboats, the Coastguard and an independent lifeboat all working together to achieve a great outcome.

It could have ended very differently. It was good to see that the kayaker was wearing all the correct safely equipment which undoubtedly helped save his life, but a VHF radio and a small pack of distress flares would have made locating him a lot quicker’.

– Dick Beddows, St Bees RNLI Operation Manager