Mumbles lifeboats join multi agency rescue of swimmer at Bracelet Bay
‘Without the public raising the alarm this would have been a tragic outcome’.
The volunteer crew of the Mumbles lifeboats received an immediate call to the aid of a swimmer in the water at Bracelet Bay tonight. At 6.22 pm the inshore lifeboat was diverted from exercise and the All Weather Lifeboat was tasked by the UK Coastguard at Milford Haven.
The inshore lifeboat was first at the scene at 6.32 where a diligent paddle boarder had managed to pull the swimmer from the water. The casualty was transferred to the inshore lifeboat and then to the All Weather Lifeboat where she received urgent medical attention. Coxswain Richard Webborn said ‘She’d lost consciousness a number of times while receiving medical attention from our volunteer crew so we immediately asked to get a helicopter to take her to hospital. Within 20 minutes under supervision from the lifeboat doctor she was transferred to the care of the Wales air ambulance at Knab Rock and on to Morriston Hospital.’
Lifeboat Operations Manager Tim Conway said ‘We’re tremendously lucky to have volunteers from all walks of life and this casualty was lucky to have had various volunteers trained in casualty care to look after her. This was a time when all of the winter evenings spent training the crew really paid off’.
There were 2 other launches for the volunteers today, 1 to 2 people cut off by the tide at the outer island and another later in the evening to a RIB suffering engine failure off Pwlldu head and was towed to Swansea Marina.
Tim Conway commented ‘This has been a very busy few days for the crew, the RNLI is the charity dedicated to saving lives at sea. We urge everyone going near the water this weekend to take time read the safety information at RNLI.ORG. UK. It’s without doubt if the paddle-boarder hadn’t got there when he did this would have been a very different outcome’.
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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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
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