Exmouth RNLI volunteers rescue two men in the water in challenging conditions
Inshore lifeboat George Bearman II launched at 1.30pm on 26 May to two jet skiers who had unexpectedly found themselves in the water and drifted 1.5 miles for over 40 minutes.
A windsurfer who had spotted a sinking jet ski and two people in the water off Orcombe Point approached a member of the public to call to the Coastguard.
Crew volunteers conducted a search approximately 1.5 miles south of the lifeboat station for 23 minutes. Once the casualties were located, they were brought ashore and one was given oxygen and monitored as he was in shock and at risk of secondary drowning.
Crew volunteers then returned to pick up their jet ski whilst other Crew first aiders at the lifeboat station assisted the casualty. Exmouth Coastguard Response Team and a South West Ambulance were also present.
Helm, Robert ‘Tommo’ Thompson said:
‘The conditions were challenging – a Force 4/5 wind with 1.5m swells. The men had drifted approximately 1.5 miles westwards from where they had hit a sandbank and had been in the water for over 40 minutes, quite possibly an hour. When we returned to retrieve their jet ski, it had drifted a quarter of a mile in just several minutes.
‘One of the casualties advised the other to stay calm, lean back and float to regulate breathing. This is exactly the message our charity is sharing during the Respect the Water campaign, if you find yourself in the water unexpectedly.
Notes to Editors
More details on our charity’s Respect the Water campaign can be found here: www.respectthewater.com.
Photos: (Credit Exmouth RNLI)
PR290517 The two casualties with Exmouth RNLI Crew volunteers
For more information please telephone Emma Tarling, Exmouth RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07837 810082 or email: [email protected].
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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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