RNLI Sandhaven lifeguard rescues paddleboarder swept out to sea
On Sunday 24 July, an RNLI lifeguard assisted by a member of the public rescued a stranded paddleboarder at Sandhaven beach.
At around 1:30pm, the Sandhaven lifeguards were undertaking a patrol when they noticed a paddleboarder in difficulty.
A member of the public who was near the paddleboarder swam over to assist her. However, the strong offshore winds meant that the duo struggled to swim back to shore.
Lifeguard Olly Coats quickly entered the water with a rescue board and swam out to the paddleboarder and swimmer, then assisted the duo back to shore.
Once ashore, the paddleboarder was shaken up but did not require any medical attention.
Lead Lifeguard Supervisor Sean Mills praised the paddleboarder for visiting a lifeguarded beach: ‘We advise all beachgoers to visit a lifeguarded beach this summer, like the rescued paddleboarder. As soon as she found herself in any trouble, one of our lifeguards were on hand to help.
Paddleboarding can be fun, but strong offshore winds can quickly turn it dangerous. Paddleboards can be quickly swept out to sea and people can soon find it exhausting trying to swim back to shore. Before entering the water this summer, ensure you check your local beach’s weather conditions.’
If you find yourself or anyone else in trouble in and around the water when visiting a lifeguarded beach, please dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.
For more information on how to stay safe this summer, please visit: RNLI Beach Safety – Top Five Tips To Stay Safe By The Sea
Notes to editors
RNLI Sandhaven lifeguard service has been operating since 2001. To learn more about the lifeguarded beach go to: Sandhaven (Centre) Beach - Lifeguarded beaches (rnli.org)
Lead Lifeguard Supervisor Sean Mills is available for interview.
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The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 142,700 lives.
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