Criccieth RNLI Lifeboats save another two people off sandbank
At 3.15pm on Tuesday the 27th of September, 2016 volunteer crew members from Criccieth’s RNLI Lifeboat station saved another two people off a sandbank which would’ve claimed another 9 lives this summer without their work.
HM Coastguard requested the immediate launch of the station’s inshore rescue boat, Margaret a Nantw, following reports of a party of four people stranded on a sandbank at Black Rock Sands – know locally as north bank – due to an incoming tide.
Once on scene, it became apparent that the party had split, as two had swum ashore leaving another two non-swimmers stranded with the tide closing-in. The stranded pair, from the Derbyshire area, reported to the Crew that the water in the channel separating the sandbank from the mainland was over five-foot deep and fast flowing.
The pair were taken ashore and placed in the care of Criccieth’s HM Coastguard team, by which time the final area of visible sand had become submerged.
Following the rescue, Criccieth’s Lifeboat Operations Manager, Peter Williams stated, “today’s rescue represented the 10th and 11th lives saved by the lifeboat crew from the same location this year. All of these incidents could have been avoided if people would simply check local tide times before setting off on walks. These calls are placing a considerable strain on our volunteer resource and I would again ask people to take more care when walking in the Black Rock sands area’.
ENDS
For further information, please contact Ifer Gwyn on 07554445316.
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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