Your summer rescue roundup

When the call for help came in, our crews and lifeguards were ready to respond. And you were behind every rescue. Your support funds the training, kit and equipment RNLI lifesavers depend on. 

Here are some of the summer rescues you made possible. 

Two girls rescued by Great Yarmouth lifeguards

In the middle of the school summer holidays, on Tuesday 9 August, RNLI Lifeguards Matt Black and Hattie Bracey rushed to help two girls drifting out to sea at Great Yarmouth Beach. One of the girls looked unresponsive, and the other was trying to support her in the water.

While Matt paddled out on his rescue board, Hattie grabbed the responder bag, ready to provide first aid once Matt got back to shore with the girls. The lifeguards learned that one of the girls had epilepsy and may have had a seizure in the water. 

Safely back on shore, the girl who was unresponsive started to recover. Her friend was treated for swallowing water, as well as shock. An ambulance and the Coastguard soon arrived to take over first aid duties from the lifeguards. And after a hospital check-up, both girls made a full recovery.

Lifeguard Supervisor Arna Tolliday praised the two girls for their calmness in a frightening situation: ‘It was great that the girls decided to visit a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flags. As soon as they found themselves in any trouble, one of our lifeguards was on hand to help.’

Porthcawl help over 100 people in 2 days

It was a busy summer for the volunteer crew in It was a busy summer for the volunteer crew in Porthcawl. They launched both of their inshore lifeboats, Atlantic 85 Rose of the Shires and D class Hugo Missen, to more than 100 people over 2 days.

On one evening, Thursday 11 August, the lifeboat crew were called out to help around 70 people who got stuck on the Porthcawl side of the Ogmore River. They had crossed the river earlier in the day when the tide was out, not realising they would later get trapped. 

The Coastguard requested that Porthcawl’s volunteer crew intervene. The estuary of the Ogmore River is treacherous, and there was a serious danger of people attempting the crossing and being swept out to sea by the fast-flowing currents. The crew also launched to help a group of paddleboarders in difficulty.

The previous day, the crew had launched to around 30 people at Ogmore, as well as rescuing three paddleboarders.

Dunbar crew launches to unconscious rower

When a rower fell ill and started to drift in and out of consciousness while on a training passage from Edinburgh to St Andrews, their friend quickly called for help. 

It was Friday 8 July, and the pagers went off for Dunbar’s inshore and all-weather lifeboat crews at 2.45pm. Just 17 minutes later, Dunbar’s inshore lifeboat reached the rowers, spotting them a mile north of Dunbar Harbour. 

One of the crew members went aboard, made an initial assessment, and decided the rower should be transferred to the all-weather lifeboat. The crew on the all-weather lifeboat gave the rower oxygen, while another volunteer stayed with the second rower in the rowing boat.

Inside the harbour, the inshore lifeboat took over. The crew were met by paramedics from the Scottish Ambulance Service. The lifeboats then helped tow the rowing boat into the harbour.

Young paddleboarder rescued by Skerries RNLI crew

During the afternoon on Monday 1 August, the pagers sounded for the volunteer crew at Skerries. Bystanders had called 999, reporting a girl being blown out to sea on her paddleboard. Within minutes, the crew were launching their Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat and setting course for Balbriggan Harbour, where the girl had last been spotted. 

As they arrived at the harbour, the crew learned that the young paddleboarder had been separated from her board and was in the water. With guidance from the Coast Guard helicopter, the RNLI crew found her exhausted and struggling. One of the volunteer crew got into the water to help her into the lifeboat. 

The crew quickly carried out a first aid assessment – the girl was tired and cold but otherwise well. The volunteers then helped the girl ashore, handing her into the care of her parents and the Skerries Coast Guard unit.

A motorboat hits the rocks in Cornwall

The volunteer crew at The Lizard had an early start on Wednesday 13 July, launching their all-weather lifeboat at 6.34am to a mayday call.  A motorboat, with three people onboard, had hit rocks just west of Black Head.

The crew arrived 8 minutes later and saw the casualties had evacuated to a liferaft. The motorboat was taking on a significant amount of water, going down bow first.

Prioritising the three people in the liferaft, two lifeboat crew launched the all-weather lifeboat’s Y-boat to assess them. The crew then towed the liferaft back towards the all-weather lifeboat.

One of the casualties had a head injury and another had a suspected broken arm. They needed immediate medical attention, so the crew decided to take the casualties to nearby Coverack. There, they were met by the Coastguard team, who took over the first aid responsibilities before the ambulance arrived.

This is our watch

We’re always ready to launch to the people who need us. With you beside us, we pledge that we will never stand by. This is our watch. And with you by our side, we will go even further to save every one.