Mumbles Lifeboat called to Paddle boarder

Tuesday morning the volunteer crew of the Mumbles inshore lifeboat were tasked by the UK Coastguard at Milford Haven. The Coastguard had received a call from a concerned member of the public who had seen a paddle boarder without a paddle, waving his arms. The volunteer crew launched the inshore lifeboat and picked up the paddle boarder around 1/2 a mile off shore.

The casualty had lost his paddle and became concerned as he started to drift offshore.

Lifeboat Press Officer Andy Miles said ‘We’re immensely grateful to the member of the public who called for help. In normal circumstances we would always advise anyone going on the water to ensure they carry a means of calling for help (Ideally a VHF radio) and always wear a life jacket. The current advice from the RNLI is ‘Stay off the water, Stay out of the water. Stay home, protect the NHS, Save lives’.

The paddle boarder was returned to shore and advised by The Coastguard Rescue team at The Mumbles and officers from South Wales police.

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

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