RNLI lifeguards in Skegness rescue an unconscious man from the sea
Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeguards rescued a man who had got into difficulty just after 6pm at Skegness beach on Tuesday (19 July).
The charity’s lifeguards were packing away their equipment following the close of the day’s lifeguarding shift when Acting Senior RNLI Lifeguard Tom Roberts spotted four men jumping off the old pier foundations. He swam over to the group to offer them some safety advice.
Three of the men stopped jumping but a fourth man got into difficulty after he dived in and began to struggle around 100 metres from the pier.
Tom immediately assisted the swimmer. He found that he was unconscious and floating up and down below the water’s surface. Using his rescue tube (a long yellow flexible tube that people can grab onto), he secured the casualty and brought him back to the beach.
RNLI lifeguard Joel Foote, who had been closely monitoring the situation from the lifeguard unit, assisted his colleague with first-aid checks and ensured that the man’s airway was clear. They then administered oxygen before placing him in the recovery position.
Paramedics quickly arrived at the scene and Skegness Coastguard transferred the swimmer on their special stretcher into the awaiting ambulance.
The man was taken to hospital for further treatment.
RNLI Lifeguard Manager, Daniel Cooper, said: ‘The lifeguards had just done an unconscious casualty training exercise the day before and did a brilliant job of putting their life-saving skills into action. It’s testament to their swift actions and the seamless teamwork demonstrated by the paramedics and Skegness Coastguard that the casualty received immediate and professional treatment.
Daniel added: ‘When people jump or dive from a height into the sea they can’t always see hidden dangers below the surface such as rocks and the depth of the water can also be very deceptive. The best advice is always to swim at a lifeguarded beach between the red and yellow flags.’
RNLI Picture caption
The photograph shows an RNLI lifeguard in action. Credit: Nathan Williams.
RNLI media contacts
For more information, please contact Clare Hopps, RNLI Press Officer, North, on 07824 518641 or at [email protected]
Key facts about the RNLI
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 146,000 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.