The River Eamont near Sockbridge Mill, Penrith. Photo: Paul Collins CC-BY-SA-2.0

An instructor has died and a student is in hospital after a kayaking incident involving 11 people.

The man died in hospital in Newcastle after being airlifted from the scene in Cumbria.

Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service was alerted at 12.40pm yesterday, Sunday, after the instructor, in his early 20s capsized in the River Eamont at Sockbridge Mill, just south of the Rheged centre near Penrith.

Fire crews from Penrith, Appleby and Patterdale went to the scene. A spokesperson for the fire service said: “Working alongside police and ambulance, the fire service located the eleven personnel in the canoeing party. One casualty was transferred to hospital via road ambulance suffering from hypothermia and one casualty was taken via air ambulance to hospital with serious injuries.”

The Darlington-based instructor was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Newcastle, but died later.

A 14-year-old boy was taken to the Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle. His injuries were said to be non-life-threatening. None of the rest of the party, from the Manchester area, needed hospital treatment.

A spokesperson for Cumbria Constabulary said: “Police are able to confirm that the instructor involved in the incident yesterday when a canoe capsized sadly passed away last night.

“Police are in contact with the family and will confirm identification in due course.”

The students and instructor are believed to be from the Patterdale Hall outdoor education centre in Glenridding, which is owned by the independent Bolton School in Greater Manchester.

The Health and Safety Executive has been informed.