PORTLAND Coastguard has issued a warning after a busy day yesterday.

The coastguard helicopter, Swanage Coastguard and Swanage RNLI Inshore Lifeboat launched a search to find a missing paddle boarder after his companion, a canoeist, was rescued off Old Harry Rocks.

The canoeist was picked up by a vessel called Magic Whisper yesterday at 10.52am, but the stand up paddle boarder was nowhere in sight.

South Western Ambulance attended the canoeist and the paddle boarder was eventually located safe on Middle Beach, Studland.

Portland Coastguard warned that if you are out and about in company, have a plan for if you become separated, and stick to it.

Two divers were airlifted by coastguard helicopters to a landing site at Poole to receive urgent treatment for decompression sickness.

Dive boat SKUA located south of St Albans reported the divers’ conditions at 3.07pm and two helicopters were redirected to transfer them directly to the decompression chamber.

The Poole Coastguard team was sent to prepare the landing site as there were travellers in the immediate area.

A Portland Coastguard spokesperson said: “They were brought in very quickly because if untreated decompression sickness can be very serious and cause long-term problems.

“There were travellers on the helicopter landing site so the full team had to be tasked to make sure the people in the area were safe, as the helicopter can cause a powerful down draft.”

Two canoeists were treated for hypothermia by South Western Ambulance after their canoes capsized off Lulworth Cove at 4.11pm. The Weymouth RNLI Inshore Lifeboat also attended the incident.

A woman was airlifted by the coastguard helicopter from a difficult location in Rockley Park after suffering a head injury.

She was then taken by South Western Ambulance to Poole General Hospital at 4.44pm.

A fisherman suffering from chest pains in Portland Bill was taken by ambulance to Bournemouth Hospital at 1.55am by the Portland Bill Coastguard Rescue Team. The Southbourne Coastguard Rescue Team launched a search at 2.18am for a male reported to have walked into the sea near Bournemouth Pier. Poole Inshore Lifeboat team and the Dorset Police Helicopter also took part in the search, but nothing untoward was found.

A 21 ft RIB, complete with engine, equipment and donut attached was found washed ashore at 7.18am in Ocean Bay, Swanage. The Swanage Coastguard investigated and found it had broken its mooring.