Overview

• The incident unfolded around 12:30 pm Tuesday when 32 kayakers and paddleboarders were swept offshore at Cullercoats Bay by sudden force five winds.
• Heavy wind chop outside the harbour complicated the response, prompting RNLI lifeboats to navigate choppy seas to reach those in distress.
• Lifeboat crews rescued 13 children and five adults while the remainder of the group managed to return to shore unaided.
• The rescue was led by RNLI teams from Cullercoats and Tynemouth alongside RNLI lifeguards, HM Coastguard, North East Ambulance Service and Northumbria Police.
• The Health and Safety Executive has opened a formal investigation into how the group became caught unawares by severe offshore winds.