Sea Palling RNLI lifeguards team up with independent lifeboat crew
On Sunday 8 August, three paddleboarders who were swept out to sea were rescued in a joint effort by RNLI Sea Palling lifeguards and Sea Palling independent lifeboat.
At 4pm, one of the charity’s lifeguards at Sea Palling, Tom Owen, noticed three paddleboarders who were drifting out to sea. The unpredictable weather and erratic rain saw a high offshore wind, meaning the paddleboarders struggled to swim back against the strong winds.
Tom paddled out on the rescue board to assist the three stuck out at sea. However, when he reached the casualties, the strong wind prevented him from towing all three back to the shore. Tom used his extensive lifeguard training and initiative to tie the three paddleboards to his rescue board. So, all three people remained with him and could not float further away.
At this point, Tom radioed UK Coastguard to ask for assistance as the offshore wind only became worse. The Coastguard contacted Sea Palling independent lifeboat station.
When the lifeboat reached Tom and the three paddleboarders, they were over 1km offshore. The lifeboat crew returned all four to the beach safely, where the casualties received medical care after the cold water shock.
Lead Lifeguard Supervisor Ted Morgan congratulated the three paddleboarders for swimming at a lifeguarded beach: ‘The weather can be unpredictable with strong winds quickly drifting you out to sea and away from the red and yellow flag zones.
'However, it was great the three decided to swim at one of our lifeguarded beaches; our lifeguards were about to help them as soon as they got into trouble.’
For more information please visit:
https://rnli.org/safety/beach-safety
Notes to editors
RNLI Sea Palling lifeguard service has been operating since 2001. To learn more about the lifeguarded beach go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeguarded-beaches/sea-palling-beach
Lead Lifeguard Supervisor Ted Morgan is available for interview.
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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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