Capsized canoe and mystery paddleboard spark rescue

Keswick Mountain Rescue teams in RIB on water
Keswick Mountain Rescue teams said conditions on Derwentwater were "rough and windy" [Keswick Mountain Rescue]

Three canoeists whose boat capsized and a broken abandoned paddleboard sparked a large rescue response in the Lake District.

The canoe with three people in it overturned in "rough and windy conditions" on Derwentwater on Friday night.

As Keswick Mountain Rescue teams were assisting, another report came in of a paddleboard which was found floating unattended.

The owner of the board still has not been found, despite a search that included a helicopter, rescue boat and the fire service.

Keswick Mountain Rescue teams launched the rescue boat at Derwentwater Marina at about 19:10 BST, after receiving reports of three canoeists who had got into difficulty.

One casualty suffered with mild hypothermia and was examined by the ambulance service.

Fire engines by the side of Derwentwater
The search and rescue involved a number of emergency services [Keswick Mountain Rescue]

About an hour later, police and Keswick Mountain Rescue Team issued urgent appeals after discovering that the ankle leash of the abandoned paddleboard had been snapped.

The rescued canoeists said they had seen the board earlier near to St Herbert’s Island.

Keswick Mountain Rescue teams in RIB on water
Searches continued on the lake and lakeshore [Keswick Mountain Rescue]

Various rescue agencies, including the coastguard helicopter, helped to search the lake and shore, with a spokesman for Allerdale Police calling on the owner of the paddleboard to make contact and let rescuers know they were safe.

At 22:00 the teams stood down, Keswick Mountain Rescue said.

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