Two kayakers have been plucked from the water 3km off the Thames coast with their Coastguard rescuers saying they battled darkness, high winds and difficulties to find the pair.

The incident unfolded on the Firth of Thames last night with six Coastguard volunteers searching for the missing pair after one of the boaties was spotted in the distance.

One of the kayakers, suffering hypothermia, spent over an hour in the water unable to get back in their boat after capsizing about 7.20pm on Monday.

Coastguard Thames skipper Steve Mansell said, “we were very lucky to pick them up.”

 “Volunteers were faced with fading light, an increasing offshore breeze and difficulties pinpointing the exact location of the pair,” Mansell said.

He said the kayakers reported themselves about 500m from Tapu, north of Thames.

However, the pair were found about 3km off the coast of the small town.

“We did an initial search in the reported location when one of our volunteers spotted something in the far distance, which we investigated and located the two kayakers at around 8.20pm,” Mansell said.

Coastguard operations and a radio operator stayed on the line with the kayakers for almost an hour until Coastguard Volunteers on board Richardsons Rescue arrived on the scene.

“We’re grateful this incident had a positive outcome and wish the pair all the best for their recovery,” Mansell said.

“It was critical to assess their vitals and start to warm them up as soon as we got them aboard. We have crew with EMT (emergency medical technician) experience on-board, which is invaluable during incidents of this nature.”

He said an ambulance took the two kayakers to hospital and they were discharged later after Coastguard brought them ashore.

“We had an incredible response to the incident last night – with more volunteers than required responding to our pager,” Mansell said of the six volunteers that helped.