The volunteer crew of the Mumbles lifeboats were called to aid in the search for a paddle boarder thought to be in difficulty at sunset today.
The alarm was raised by a member of the public who suspected a paddle boarder who was finding conditions very challenging at sea between Langland and Caswell bay.
Both the all weather lifeboat the Roy Barker IV and the inshore lifeboat The Mark Lott joined the Coastguard rescue team to search the area from Limeslade to Pwlldu bay with the search being stood down with nothing found just over an hour and a half later.
Both volunteer crew returned to station by 7pm.
Coxswain of the Mumbles Lifeboat Martin Double said ‘ We suspect the paddle boarder had made it to shore unassisted. We’re very grateful to the member of the public who called the Coastguard to report the incident. We always ask anyone who thinks someone to be in trouble to call the Coastguard on 999. We also ask anyone who takes to the water to ensure they let someone ashore know where they’re going and what time they expect to return. It’s highly likely the paddle boarder we were searching for had returned home completely unaware that the search was going on’.
For more information about taking to the sea go to respectthewater.com
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.
