A KITESURFER had to be airlifted to shore by the coastguard helicopter after trying to rescue a friend’s kite gear in Portland Harbour.

The first man had to drop the kite after going out too far into the water off Castle Cove yesterday afternoon.

He made it back to shore and two friends offered to go out and retrieve his equipment.

Portland Coastguard said the helicopter, Weymouth inshore lifeboat and ground teams all responded following numerous 999 calls reporting kitesurfers in the water parted from gear and entangled in gear. One kitesurfer was winched to safety by the helicopter.