Rescue chiefs have hailed a textbook reaction from a kayaker who got into trouble off the Angus coast.
The man was rescued by Arbroath RNLI volunteers in the drama off the town cliffs.
Station operations manager Alex Smith said his group’s preparedness played a key part in averting a potentially different outcome.
Both Arbroath lifeboats were launched around 11.40am on Sunday after reports of a kayaker in the water just off the Horseshoe cave at the cliffs north of the Angus town.
The crew on board the inshore lifeboat Robert Fergusson were quickly on scene and immediately recovered the male casualty from the water before transferring him to the all-weather Inchcape to be taken back to Arbroath harbour.
HM Coastguard Angus and Dundee personnel met the crew at the station, where it was established that the kayaker did not require any further medical assistance.
The in-shore lifeboat crew recovered his kayak and remained on scene while the two other kayakers in the group made it safely ashore.
The group had all been wearing buoyancy aids and had a waterproof phone case which allowed them to make the emergency call straight away when trouble struck.
Lifeboat operations manager, Alex Smith, praised the group’s preparedness and said the incident was another illustration of how quickly people can be caught out.
“Incidents like this at sea can happen in an instant and without warning to anyone,” he said.
“This is why it is so important to ensure you are well equipped and if anything does happen you can call for help and give yourself the best chance of a positive outcome such as we saw in this incident.
“The group did exactly the right thing by dialling 999 and asking for the Coastguard so that our lifeboats could be tasked.”
Mr Smith also went on to praise the actions of another group of passing kayakers who went to help.
“It is always reassuring to both ourselves and those in difficulty to see others so readily willing to offer assistance as this type of incident unfolds,” he added.
