British kayaker 'rescued by fishermen in English Channel after clinging onto buoy for two days' after vessel capsized

28 October 2022, 07:47 | Updated: 28 October 2022, 16:18

A British man has been rescued by fishermen after being stranded on a buoy in the English Channel for several days.

The unnamed 28-year-old departed Dover for France in a kayak on October 15, according to Dutch media.

At some point along his journey his vessel capsized and he was left clinging to a buoy, where he reportedly ate seaweed and mussels to survive until help came.

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Authorities told news outlet NOS the paddler had been on the buoy for around 48 hours.

He was finally found when the crew of cutter ship 'De Madelaine' of Dutch shipping company T. de Boer en Zonen spotted him on Thursday morning.

The boat's captain, Teunis de Boer, told local media he noticed something strange on the buoy from a distance.

He grabbed a pair of binoculars and saw the man, wearing nothing but swimming trunks, "waving at us like a madman", De Telegraaf reports.

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The crew worked in turbulent weather conditions to get closer to the man, and threw him a life ring.

The kayaker - who was exhausted and reportedly had a body temperature of just 26C, and was bruised and exhausted - was brought aboard and given food and water.

He was wrapped in blankets as the crew called the French coastguard.

Too exhausted to speak, he expressed his gratitude to the fisherman by making heart signs with his hands.

The skipper said it was "a miracle" the paddler had survived.

The crew had not even been planning on going fishing in the area, but changed their plans last minute because of a disappointing catch earlier in the day.

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The kayaker was airlifted to a French hospital for treatment.

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FDCO) said they had not been asked for any consular assistance in relation to the kayaker but were ready to help if needed.