Two young girls rescued by Rhyl RNLI lifeboats off Talacre

The charity's volunteers launched both the inshore and all-weather lifeboats with urgency and were on scene some 14 minutes after the initial call. Coastguard rescue teams from Rhyl and Flint; together with the Coastguard rescue helicopter from Caernarvon were also tasked. It was also reported that two people were trying to swim out to the inflatable dinghy to try to rescue the girls.
The inshore lifeboat crew were on scene first, but were initially directed to another dinghy, but were turned round once the people on shore said this was not the dinghy in question.
The crew scanned the immediate area and soon spotted the dinghy and raced to the position, some 500 metres out from the shore. The young girl was in the dinghy, and the elder girl in the water, trying to hold the position of the dinghy. Both were taken on board the inshore lifeboat and the dinghy deflated to aid passage back to shore. It was at this time that the all-weather lifeboat and helicopter arrived on scene. The girls were rushed back to shore to waiting coastguards and were checked over by the teams on shore. Both girls were fine but complaining of cold. They were handed over to the waiting coastguards.
Vinny Jones, helm of the inshore lifeboat said ' It was good fortune that the inshore lifeboat crew spotted the dinghy within a short timescale. They were in the middle of the busy shipping channel, and would not have been spotted easily by the fast vessels using the port. It was a great team effort by all the agencies involved, with a successful outcome. We hope both the girls recover fully from their ordeal.
Paul Frost, duty coxswain of the all-weather lifeboat added ' We always advise the public to swim at a lifeguarded beach, and to take advice from the lifeguards regarding offshore winds and ebb tides. Inflatables are dangerous things, and it proved today that the dinghy can be over half a kilometre from shore in a matter of minutes. The sea is not the place for inflatables. Our volunteers did a great job spotting a small boat in rapidly worsening weather'.
Pictures taken show the inshore lifeboat approaching the dinghy and off Talacre, and the girls safe in the inshore lifeboat back at Talacre beach.

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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