Royal Navy training helicopter winches kayaker in real rescue off Coverack

The kayaker was flown taken back to RNAS Culdrose and had medical checks

A Royal Navy helicopter on a training exercise has rescued a kayaker off the coast of Cornwall.

A man capsized while paddling off the Lizard Peninsula at about 12:45 GMT and made a mayday call on his radio.

He was winched to safety by a crew which "happened to be practising search and rescue winching", the navy said.

The man was taken back to RNAS Culdrose, near Helston, where he had medical checks and was "cold" but otherwise well, the navy said.

'Just carried on'

The mayday was picked up by the Merlin helicopter in Falmouth Bay, which "happened to be practising search and rescue winching with trainee aircrew".

It immediately flew towards the area, about one mile (1.6km) south of Coverack, and spotted the kayaker "clinging to the side of his upturned craft".

The training crew took part in a real-life rescue off the coast of Cornwall

Trainee observer Lt Robert Templeton, who was due to go down the winch line for the training exercise, was lowered while the helicopter hovered above the "exhausted kayaker", the navy said.

Lt Templeton said: "This was actually the first time I've ever done this.

"We didn't really adapt anything, and we carried on just as though it were a training exercise rather than real-life.

"It was a team effort and we all worked together to make sure it had a successful outcome."

The navy said "the kayaker was cold and shocked but otherwise appeared unhurt."