Kayaker rescued after capsizing

A kayaker had to be rescued by helicopter after capsizing in choppy seas halfway between Sandwick and Mousa on Saturday afternoon.

The man, who was in ice cold water for up to 45 minutes before being rescued, had set off from Sandwick with another man and a woman and Shetland Coastguard was called out at around 12.30pm.

One of his fellow kayakers paddled back to Sandwick to raise the alarm, while the other stayed with the man.

The coastguard helicopter located him just before 1pm and he was winched out of the water and flown to Lerwick, where he arrived at 1.10pm and was taken to the Gilbert Bain Hospital to be treated for hypothermia.

*********

A 43-year-old woman had to be airlifted to hospital from Bressay on Sunday night after a 90-minute search of the east side of the island by police and coastguard teams.

The woman had been reported missing shortly before 10pm and police and coastguard teams, along with the coastguard helicopter from Sumburgh, eventually tracked her down at around 11.20pm.

She was flown to the playing fields next to Clickimin by helicopter and taken to the Gilbert Bain Hospital for treatment.

**********

An injured fishing boat crewman had to be airlifted to hospital by Shetland Coastguard on Sunday afternoon.

The man, working on the Shetland whitefish trawler Radiant Star which was around 20 miles west of Eshaness at the time, had fallen down a hatch and hurt his head and was medivaced by helicopter to Tingwall shortly before 4pm. He was taken to the Gilbert Bain Hospital for treatment.