A major multi-agency rescue operation was launched on Easter Saturday when an inflatable canoe capsized on Derwentwater during Storm Dave, with none of the trio wearing life jackets
Three ill-equipped canoeists, who had planned to camp on a Lakeland island, were thrown into the water during Storm Dave.
A major multi-agency rescue operation was triggered after the group’s inflatable canoe overturned in treacherous conditions on Derwentwater at just before 3pm on Saturday afternoon (April 4).
The trio involved — none of whom were wearing life jackets — were all brought to safety and needed no hospital treatment. One managed to reach the shore, another swam to St Herbert’s Island, while the third remained stranded in the water.
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The Lake District rescue required support from police, fire, ambulance, mountain rescue, the coastguard and a helicopter. It was one of several incidents that resulted in Keswick Mountain Rescue Team being deployed to assist walkers and campers caught in the midst of Storm Dave — which has hammered parts of the UK and the North West.
The team was also called upon to rescue two teenagers whose tent was ripped away in powerful winds, as well as a solo camper and a walker whose camp was destroyed by the gusts. Rescuers say these incidents serve as a stark warning to ensure you have the right skills and equipment — particularly when severe weather is forecast.
Just hours after the Derwentwater incident, at around 9.51pm, Keswick Mountain Rescue Team were called to Sprinkling Tarn, near Seathwaite, where two teenagers had been wild camping. “Their tent had been destroyed by the high winds of Storm Dave, leaving them cold, wet, and stranded,” KMR reports, reports the Manchester Evening News.
“Due to communication difficulties with the relay centre, two teams were deployed to the area.” With fallen trees obstructing the path, rescuers divided into two groups and eventually located the teenagers sheltering in a stretcher box on Sty Head, cold but otherwise unharmed.
The team also came across a lone camper near Sprinkling Tarn who needed assistance getting off the hill. All three individuals were safely escorted down to Seathwaite and returned to their vehicles following a four and a half hour rescue operation.
KMR say incidents such as this underline why checking the weather before heading outdoors is so vital. “High-altitude camping in a named storm carries extreme risks, not just for the campers, but for the volunteers who have to navigate blocked roads and dangerous winds to reach them,” they say.
Just three minutes after being alerted to the Sprinkling Tarn incident, at 9.54pm, rescuers were called to attend High How’s Wood, in Grange-over-Sands. “A 54-year-old female who was three days into walking the Cumbria Way thought she would be protected in the woods below Castle Crag in Borrowdale for her wild camp,” the rescuers reported. “Unfortunately the gusts of Storm Dave got the better of her sleeping arrangements and destroyed her camp.”
The woman dialled 999 and requested Mountain Rescue for guidance. She was advised to head north towards Grange, where a team met her and transported her to Keswick to find somewhere to stay.
Langdale and Ambleside Mountain Rescue Team were also kept busy during a hectic Easter Saturday. They were called out to Tarn Crag, at Far Easedale at 9.49pm after a young man suffered a suspected lower leg fracture.
“Winds from Storm ‘Dave’ (amber warning) and heavy rain made things rather difficult for everyone, with the casualty becoming hypothermic and his friend very cold. We were assisted by Kendal MRT with evacuating the pair,” the rescuers wrote on their website.
Describing the Derwentwater rescue on their website, Keswick Mountain Rescue Team said the operation required 16 of its members, alongside staff from Greater North Air Ambulance Service, the North West Ambulance Service, Cumbria Police, Cumbria Fire and Rescue and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
“On Saturday, 4 April 2026, during the busy bank holiday weekend, we were requested to assist in a major multi-agency operation following the capsize of an inflatable canoe on Derwentwater,” they wrote. “The group had been seen the previous day, and it was suspected they had been heading off to camp on one of the islands. By Saturday morning-just before the peak of forecasted Storm Dave-conditions on the lake had become rough and entirely unsuitable for light leisure craft, despite the clear storm warnings in place.
“Three individuals were involved in the incident, none of whom were wearing personal flotation devices (PFDs). One made it to shore, another reached St Herbert’s Island, and a third remained in the water. A large-scale response was initiated, including Whitehaven Coastguard Rescue Team, Maryport Coastguard Rescue Team, and the HM Coastguard Helicopter, alongside Cumbria Police, Fire and Rescue, NWAS, and the Great North Air Ambulance.
“We were also grateful for the essential support from both the Keswick Launch and Derwent Water Marina, whose assistance was vital in navigating the choppy conditions. All three individuals were safely rescued and assessed by the air ambulance medical team, requiring no hospital treatment.
“This incident serves as a stark reminder to always wear a buoyancy aid, check weather forecasts, and ensure you have the correct skills and equipment for the conditions, especially when severe weather is predicted.”
