Rowers rescued by Whitby RNLI crew after becoming stranded a mile offshore

The two rowers were attempted to return to the safety of the harbour in Whitby when they got into difficulty on Saturday (Dec 16). The pair had headed out in calm conditions but found a strong wind had picked up after they had left the pier ends.

They decided to go back to the harbour but upon doing so their boat overturned and they ended up in the water. They signalled to another rower to call 999 for the Coastguard to get rescued.

They had drifted around a mile offshore by the time they were rescued by the RNLI crew.

Jonathan Marr, who was helm on the inshore lifeboat, said: “When you hear that you are attending a shout to two people in the water, you know you need to get there quickly as every second counts. When we arrived we were relieved to see that both casualties were wearing lifejackets and had managed to climb onto the upturned hull of their rowing boat.

“We later learned they had undertaken capsize training which was invaluable in this incident as its very easy to panic when you end up in cold water unexpectedly.”

The two rowers were transferred to the inshore lifeboat and taken to the lifeboat station, where they were checked over for hypothermia by paramedics who were awaiting their arrival.

Jonathan added: "Even the most experienced of people can get caught out - everything can change in an instant. The one thing we want people to remember is ‘FLOAT TO LIVE’ - lay on your back and try to relax, this can help reduce the chances of cold water shock setting in.”

The RNLI's advice to anyone taking part in water-based sports is to

Always wear a lifejacket

Carry a means of calling for help

Always check the conditions before heading out

Undertake the relevant training so you know what to do in an emergency

If you get into difficulty in the water, or see someone else in trouble, dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.