Two kayakers in the sea off the Sussex coast, and who took with them a communications device, have been safely rescued by RNLI volunteers.
Details are emerging of Tuesday's operation after UK Coastguard alerted the crew of Selsey Lifeboat when an emergency 'Pan Pan' call was received from a kayaker whose vessel was taking on water, half a mile east of the lifeboat station.
The kayak had two persons on board as the call was made on Tuesday afternoon (August 3).
At 3.51pm, volunteers launched the inshore lifeboat, arriving at the just one minute later.
The found the kayak's crew members were still making way to the shore, even with the stern down in the water.
RNLI staff added that the weather at the time was a southwest force 1-2 wind, with the sea state smooth in sunshine.
The inshore lifeboat came alongside the kayak and checked the welfare of the crew before assisting them to the beach.
Once the vessels reached the shore the lifeboat crew helped pull the craft further up the beach, and bailed out the water.
The coastguard helicopter, Rescue 163 also responded as they were in the area and heard the Pan Pan call.
At 4.10pm the lifeboat crew returned to station.
RNLI named the volunteers on Tuesday as helmsman Colin Pullenger, with Andy Lee and Harry Emmence.
The RNLI operates over 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and, in a normal year, more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands.
It is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service.
Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards are understood to have saved over 142,700 lives.
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