Hot weather sparks flurry of calls to inflatables for Redcar RNLI

The first alarm was raised just before 5pm on Wednesday when two children aged 16 and six, were carried out to sea near Saltburn pier. The Redcar lifeboat was launched and was proceeding to the scene when it was found that the children had been brought back to shore by other rescuers.

Then on Thursday two separate emergencies arose within the space of 10 minutes. The larger lifeboat from Redcar was called at 5.30pm to go to Saltburn to rescue a person drifiting out to sea on an inflatable. The lifeboat was stood down on the way after kayakers had managed to rescue the person.

Then a few minutes after the first alarm was raised, another 999 call was received by the coastguard from the parents of two children who were being blown out to sea on an inflatable from the beach at Coatham. Redcar’s smaller inshore lifeboat was launched and found the children, having drifted approximately a mile due to the combined effects of the wind and tide.

They were brought back to the shore and handed back to their parents.

Dave Cocks, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Redcar RNLI, said: ‘The extremely warm weather makes the coast an attractive place to be, but these incidents really do highlight the hidden dangers of the sea.

‘Any one of the three emergencies could have so easily ending in tragedy. Most of the people involved were young children, and it shows the need for parents to look after them to avoid terrible situations like this happening.’

Dave Cocks added: ‘With a little bit of thought, everyone can enjoy our coastline. Blow-up toys and airbeds are designed for pools, not the sea where they can easily be swept out. If you do use them at the beach, then please ensure children are closely supervised.'

The RNLI offers more advice on the use of inflatables. Always keep near the shore and only use the beach between the red and yellow beach flags which show the lifeguards are in attendance.

Don’t take inflatables out in big waves and never use them when you sea the orange windsock is flying, as this indicates offshore winds which will blow inflatables further out to sea

And finally, if you do get into difficulty, then stay with your inflatable as it will keep you above the water.

Ends

Notes to editors:

Attached is an image of one of the toy inflatable involved in the rescue on 25 July. Credit RNLI/Redcar Also attached is a library image of the Redcar RNLI lifeboats.

Redcar lifeboat station has been operating since 1802

Redcar currently operates a B-class lifeboat named Leicester Challenge III, paid for by the people of Leicester, and an IB1-class lifeboat named Eileen May Loach-Thomas, paid from the legacy of the late Mr Nick Thomas of Shropshire

For more news, information and images go to www.redcarlifeboat.org.uk. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/redcarrnli and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RedcarRNLI

Any images used should be credited RNLI/Redcar unless indicated

RNLI media contacts:

For more information please contact Dave Cocks, RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager on 07894 558 483. Alternatively, contact Clare Hopps, RNLI Press Officer, North 07824 518641 or at [email protected], or contact RNLI Public Relations on 01202 336789; [email protected]

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.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.