THE Exmouth lifeboat crew on Saturday lunchtime launched the inshore lifeboat and boarding boat when two canoeists capsized in the Exe Estuary.
THE Exmouth lifeboat crew on Saturday lunchtime launched the inshore lifeboat and boarding boat when two canoeists capsized in the Exe Estuary.
The two men became separated from their vessel and fears were raised for their safety after it was discovered they were not wearing life jackets and had begun drifting in the water.
The two men drifted some distance - one was picked up from the moored RNLI all-weather boat where he had climbed aboard.
The second man was rescued by the inshore lifeboat crew in the water off the clock tower.
The two men were taken ashore and given safety advice.
Exmouth lifeboat operations manager Kevin Riley said: "The folly of not wearing the correct safety equipment such as lifejackets or suitable buoyancy aids can be potentially fatal.
"The water is very cold this time of the year. Cold water shock can be a killer as water takes away body heat 26 times faster than air, so hypothermia will set in very quickly with potentially fatal results.
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