Tourists visiting the coast have been given an urgent warning by the RNLI after a mass rescue of eight people who were pulled out to sea - with two ‘close to drowning’. The drama unfolded in Cornwall on Tregantle beach caused by a flash rip current on Saturday June 25 .
It is a beach guarded by the RNLI and the drama was quickly spotted. Lifeguards paddled out on rescue boards and the team of three managed to get all the people back to shore.
Charlie Gillett RNLI Lead Lifeguard Supervisor for south east Cornwall said: “‘Two of the last casualties who were pulled furthest out to sea were very close to drowning, however due to the quick actions of our lifeguard team, both lives were saved, and they walked away from the incident unharmed.
“This is a stark reminder of how conditions in the water can change very quickly. If you do find yourself caught in a rip current, don’t try to swim against it or you’ll get exhausted. If you can stand, wade don’t swim and if you can, swim parallel to the shore until free of the rip and then head for shore. Always raise your hand and shout for help.”
In another incident on Thursday 22 June, a man’s life was saved at Sharrow beach after he swam out beyond the red and yellow flags and into a rip current. The on duty senior RNLI lifeguard paddled out and managed to secure the exhausted casualty onto his rescue board, however due to the strong rip current off Sharrow point, they ended up in front of the rocks. The lifeguard made the decision to call for assistance from the Inshore Rescue Boat (IRB), and an immediate call was sent to Tregahawke RNLI lifeguards, where a boat was launched. The casualty and lifeguard were picked up by the boat and taken safely back to shore.
In response to multiple 999 calls, Falmouth Coastguard tasked Treganhawke lifeguards to a capsized kayaker on Saturday 24 June. The IRB headed towards Wiggle cliff, which is a mile to the east of the lifeguarded beach. On arrival to the scene, the kayaker had been washed onto the beach and was subsequently checked over and given safety advice from the lifeguards. A boy was also rescued on the same day after being caught in a rip current just outside of the lifeguard flags and was brought back to safety via a rescue board.
At Tregantle beach on June 24, there were also multiple assists, particularly at Long Sands (to the west of Tregantle) following numerous people finding themselves in difficulty in the rip currents, which are common along that stretch of beach.
