Winter call-out for Abersoch RNLI following report of a kitesurfer in difficulty

With a keen northerly wind blowing and a moderate sea-state the lifeboat was launched at 11.20am and arrived on scene within 5 minutes where the casualty had managed to return to the beach.

With the casualty in the care of HM Coastguard the lifeboat went to retrieve the kitesurfer’s equipment from the sea and then returned to the lifeboat station. Both the lifeboat and crew kit was then thoroughly washed down and sanitised and left ready for service.

An Abersoch RNLI spokesperson said: ‘We want to reassure the community that we are still here for them throughout the winter months and should you spot anybody in difficulty, or if you get into difficulty yourself, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard. Always have a means of calling for help and let someone know your expected return time’.

Notes to editors

· Abersoch Lifeboat Station has been operating for just over 150 years. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/abersoch-lifeboat-station

· The current B Class Atlantic 85 Lifeboat launches to a variety of both commercial and leisure craft call-outs

RNLI Picture Caption

The photo of the inshore lifeboat is a library image which was taken before Covid-19 restrictions.

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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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