Navy trainee: Kayaker's bizarre request during dramatic rescue

A kayaker rescued from icy waters off Cornwall asked if his kayak could be saved with him, according to the Royal Navy trainee who winched him to safety.

Observer trainee Lieutenant Robert Templeton was on his first live search and rescue mission when he was lowered down the winch line by his instructor as the helicopter hovered overhead.

Lt Templeton said: "So, when I got to him in the water, I shouted to explain what I was going to do and his immediate reaction was 'what about my kayak?'

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"No, I just had to say 'no kayak, you're the only person coming with us'."

The rescuer explained the conditions during the rescue were "really loud, really windy".

"Basically, like you're in a tornado underneath the helicopter,"  he said.

Lt Templeton and his instructor, Lieutenant Phil Read, were on a search and rescue training when they received the genuine SOS call.

"Probably given that he was still with his kayak – bright yellow – Rob was able to spot him very quickly," said Lt Read.

"We effectively used the training we were going to use anyway."

The pair were winched back up to the helicopter and the aircrew handed over the rescued kayaker to the ambulance service.

The RNLI later reunited him with his kayak.