Stainton Island, right, on the River Eamont at Sockbridge Mill near Penrith. Photo: Bob Jenkins CC-BY-SA-2.0

The canoe instructor who died after an incident on a Cumbrian river has been named.

Grant Kinnie, 25, of Darlington, died in the Royal Victoria Hospital, Newcastle, after being airlifted from the scene near Penrith on Sunday.

Mr Kinnie was a freelance outdoors instructor working for Patterdale Hall Outdoor Education Centre, Glenridding, which is owned and run by the independent Bolton School in Greater Manchester.

He was trapped beneath his craft on the River Eamont at Sockbridge Mill near Penrith.

Firefighters, a mountain rescue team and ambulance paramedics fought to save the life of Mr Kinnie, who was found on Stainton Island, along with nine others in the party. The unconscious instructor was brought across waist-deep water by canoe and flown by air ambulance to Newcastle but died later.

One other person, a student from Bolton School, was taken to the Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle, suffering from hypothermia, and discharged soon afterwards.

Emergency services were alerted at 12.30pm and more than 50 personnel rushed to the scene, just south of the Rheged centre.

Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team said in a statement: “[The team] would like to express its sincerest condolences to his family and friends at this very sad time.”

Philip Britton, headmaster of Bolton School boys division, added: “Our thoughts and sympathies are with the instructor’s family.”

Cumbria Constabulary and the Health and Safety Executive are conducting a joint investigation into the incident. An inquest into Mr Kinnie’s death is expected to open later this week.