A KAYAKER spent 45 minutes in the sea after getting into difficulty while fishing until he was rescued by the coastguard.

The man, who had been fishing off Littlehampton, was able to call the HM Coastguard on 999 as he had his phone in a waterproof pouch.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said his kayak began to sink.

Littlehampton Coastguard rescue team and Littlehampton RNLI were sent out to search for the man.

While the search was under way, the kayaker was able to call in again and give a better location.

A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesman said this helped the lifeboat find his exact position.

The kayaker was rescued and taken ashore.

Following the incident on Monday, Darren Crisp, from Littlehampton Coastguard rescue team, highlighted the importance of being prepared for emergencies when going out into open water.

“Not only did the kayaker have his phone in a waterproof pouch, but he also had a full wetsuit on and was wearing a personal flotation device too,” he said.

“It meant that for the 45 minutes he was in the water, he had buoyancy.

“He also did the right thing by staying with his kayak which also helped him.”

Darren reminded people to wear a personal flotation device and the right kit, ensure they have some means of contacting the shore and to call 999 and ask for the coastguard if in an emergency.