'Cold and wet' kayaker rescued from water in Loch Ness

A “cold and wet” kayaker had to be rescued from Loch Ness after falling into the water.

The man got into difficulty just off the village of Foyers, in the Highlands, at around 3.45pm on Thursday, May 1.

A three-person volunteer RNLI crew attended the scene in an Atlantic 85 speedboat alongside a locally owned commercial rigid inflatable boat (RIB) and a Rescue 151 Coastguard Helicopter.

The RIB recovered the man from the water and returned him to the shore.

The volunteer lifeboat crew liaised with the commercial crew to assess any casualty care needs.

The man was described as being “wet and cold” but had packed a change of dry clothes and was able to change into them when he reached land.

Paramedics were quickly on scene, and they, along with a casualty care-trained crew, were reassured that no further treatment was required.

RNLI said the incident was “a timely reminder that having all the right kit can make all the difference in these scenarios.

“A lifejacket and a wetsuit in this case meant that while the casualty was uncomfortable, he suffered no undue ill effects relating to his time in the water,” a spokesperson for the charity said.

RNLI helm Kieron said: “As a helm I have to say this was a great shout from a crew perspective.

“We worked seamlessly as a team with great communications.

“Everyone had their part to play, and the crew worked together on the casualty care as a really good team.

“The doctor on scene commented on the professional handover, and all tasks were undertaken with professionalism.

“From my seat I had total confidence in the crew at all times and had very little call to manage or direct which is a great position to be in.

“This was a great advert to show what all our regular training achieves, and as the Lifeboat Training Co-ordinator, I’m grateful for all the time everyone dedicates to the regular training we all do.”