AN incident involving two kayakers off the South East Cornwall coast this week could have turned to tragedy because they were not wearing lifejackets, the RNLI has warned. The Tamar Coastguard Rescue Team, the Plymouth Lifeboat, a Royal Navy rescue helicopter, Princess Yacht 43, the tug Morgawr and HMS Bulwark all became involved in a search just after 2pm on Monday after two people were reported in the water with an upturned kayak off Rame Head. Rame Head National Coastwatch Institution and Tregonhawke RNLI lifeguards maintained observations and the Princess Yacht recovered the pair, a man and woman believed to be in their 20s or 30s, from the water. A spokesman from Plymouth RNLI lifeboat station said later that having set out from the beach at Freathy in a sit-on style, open kayak, the pair had then got into difficulties when near Rame Head. After the small boat had taken on water in choppy sea conditions, the male and female paddlers realised that they were unable to return to the beach and safety. The spokesman said that before the Plymouth lifeboat, Sybil Mullen Glover, which was launched at 2.15pm, arrived on the scene, the Princess Yachts craft had taken the kayakers on board. They were then transferred to the lifeboat and taken to the shore. 'The crew noted that the crew of the kayak were not wearing lifejackets or buoyancy aids. Situations like this serve to remind anybody who goes out to sea the importance of always having the correct safety and life-saving equipment,' he said. The RNLI released figures this week that showed 32 people, including 13 in Cornwall, lost their lives around the coast of the South West last year. The charity highlighted the tragedies as it launched a major drowning awareness campaign.