Local coastguard teams and three lifeboats were involved in the rescue of kayakers who got into difficulty near Duncansby Stacks yesterday afternoon.

Lifeboats from Wick, Longhope and Thurso were alerted when four paddlers were spotted having trouble as they tried to make their way around the coast.

The Thurso RNLI lifeboat – The Taylors – was launched at 3.40pm on Sunday (July 15) following a report made to HM Coastguard by a member of the public. Three of the kayakers were believed to be stuck on the rocks while the remaining one was spotted adrift in the sea.

When the lifeboat arrived on the scene at 4.30pm the crew were informed by the coastguard that one of the paddlers had made it ashore at the Bay of Sannick near John O'Groats, and was being looked after by some of the rescue team.

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The Taylors then proceeded to search for the remaining three kayakers, deploying the inflatable Y boat. The casualties were located on the cliff face where they had managed to clamber to safety. Unable to climb up the cliffs they could only be rescued from the sea or by helicopter.

All three – two males and a female – were safely taken from the rocks by the Y boat crew and transferred to The Taylors where they were checked over.

The lifeboat then returned to Scrabster at 6pm and the three kayakers were taken into the care of the coastguard.

Following the rescue, Thurso coxswain Andy Pearson stressed the importance of any person using the sea to make sure they are properly equipped with buoyancy aids and to carry some form of communication in case something goes wrong so they can contact the emergency services.

Meanwhile, later that evening at 6.30pm, The Taylors got another call to assist Pentland Yacht Club in the rescue of a boat that had broken down in Thurso Bay. The lifeboat successfully towed the vessel back into Scrabster harbour.

The Taylors was then refuelled, cleaned and made ready for service again.

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