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RNLI lifeguard rescues 9-year-old boy drifting out to sea on inflatable dolphin

Lifeguards News Release

An RNLI lifeguard rescued a young boy who was out of his depth and steadily drifting further away from the shore on his inflatable toy yesterday (Tuesday 26 July) afternoon at 2pm at Joss Bay, Kent.

Ryan Supple, 9, had kicked his way too far out to sea on his inflatable dolphin when lifeguards spotted him struggling to get back to shore.
 
One of the charity’s lifeguards, Harry Higate Royce, aged 17, kept an eye on the boy as concerns grew that he would drift out of the red and yellow flagged zone, which is the designated area for swimmers visiting a lifeguarded beach.
 
Harry immediately sprang into action and took to the sea on a rescue board to check on the youngster. After reaching him, Harry quickly discovered that Ryan  was unable to swim and was getting tired of kicking as he struggled to get back in to shore.
 
RNLI Lifeguard Supervisor, Ben Detheridge, said: ‘Because of the direction of the wind, the boy would have eventually been blown towards the chalk reef just north of the bay. This means he would have had to clamber across a slippery, uneven reef to get back to the sandy shore, which could have led to further challenges for the lifeguards.’
 
Ben continued; ‘The boy and his family did the right thing by coming to a lifeguarded beach and swimming between the red and yellow flags to enjoy their day at the seaside. However, the conditions of the sea are ever-changing and unpredictable which can quickly lead even the most experienced of swimmers into a difficult situation.’
 
The rescue comes after a busy weekend which saw lifeguards at Joss Bay assist a further four beach goers in inflatable boats, kayaks and rubber rings.
 
The boy was reunited with his mother on the beach and both were given safety advice by the lifeguards on duty. Ryan’s mother, Claire Supple added: ‘Thank you so much to the lifeguards who helped my son get back to shore safely, if it wasn’t for them, who knows what could have happened?’
 
RNI lifeguards will be patrolling 13 beaches across Thanet and Swale from 10am until 6pm every day until September 4.

Notes to editors:
Below is a full list of beaches in Thanet and Swale which will be patrolled by RNLI lifeguards this summer:
Isle of Sheppey:
Leysdown on sea
Minster
Sheerness
Thanet:
Minnis bay
West bay
St Mildreds
Westbrook
Margate main sands
Joss bay
Botany bay
Stone bay
Broadstairs (Viking Bay)
Ramsgate
 
RNLI media contacts
• Tim Ash, RNLI Public Relations Manager (London/East/South East) on 0207 6207426, 07785 296252  [email protected]
• Sophie Coller-Nielsen Press Officer (London/East/South East), 0207 6207416, 07824 416615 [email protected]
For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789

 
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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.

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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.

About the author

Sophie Coller-Nielsen
RNLI Press Officer, London/South East/East

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