Skip to content

Kayaker saved in Lizard sea cave rescue

Lizard RNLI Lizard LifeboatLizard RNLI
The casualty was holding on to rocks inside the cave

A kayaker has been rescued from a sea cave in west Cornwall.

The man was left clinging to rocks after falling off his kayak on Thursday morning.

A woman with him raised the alarm and an RNLI lifeboat volunteer had to swim into the cave, on the Lizard Peninsula, to help the man get to the rescue vessel.

He escaped unhurt and coastguards praised the couple for having the right equipment to call for help.

Lizard RNLI Lizard lifeboatLizard RNLI
The all-weather Lizard Lifeboat launched its smaller Y-boat to get into the cave

The RNLI Lizard Lifeboat was launched to a spot known as The Devils Frying Pan.

The woman guided the lifeboat crew to the cave where the man had been swept into.

'Quite exhausted'

The lifeboat crew deployed their smaller two-person rigid inflatable boat but still could not reach the man.

Jill Rylance, at Falmouth Coastguards, said: "He was holding on to a rock in the cave, there was quite a bit of swell and he had become quite exhausted.

"It was difficult for any boat to get in, so a lifeboat crew member got into the water and swam to the kayaker's assistance."

Lizard RNLI Lizard lifeboatLizard RNLI
The kayaker's companion stayed at the scene to help the RNLI crew

After being transferred to the bigger lifeboat, he was checked over by the lifeboat crew and then by waiting paramedics and was given the all clear.

Two HM Coastguard rescue teams and a local fishing boat also responded.

Coastguards praised the couple for having a charged mobile phone and a VHF radio to raise the alarm.

line

Follow BBC Cornwall on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].