HM Coastguard Inverness helicopter rescues capsized kayakers

On 1 November, a Coastguard search and rescue helicopter assisted in an incident south of Aviemore, Scotland, where a kayak carrying two kayakers capsized. The kayakers were rescued by HM Coastguard after their kayak capsized on the River Spey. The Scottish Ambulance Service requested HM Coastguard helicopter assistance from the Aeronautical Response Coordination Centre (ARCC) after receiving reports of the capsized kayak.

The HM Coastguard Inverness helicopter was immediately launched to the location and arrived on scene within 15 minutes. The Scottish Ambulance Service, Police Scotland and the Cairngorms Mountain Rescue Team also arrived to assist in the search. A female kayaker was located onshore following a brief search of the area and several minutes later the second male kayaker was found immersed in water in a difficult to reach location five feet below the height of the bank.

The Coastguard winchman was lowered down and assisted the male kayaker to a more accessible location on the other side of the river along with his female companion. The female kayaker was suffering from cold and the male kayaker had been immersed in water for about an hour, but both were able to walk to the waiting ambulance where they were treated.