RNLI Southwold North lifeguards work with lifeboat crew to help father and son
The lifeguard team at Southwold North partnered with the Southwold RNLI lifeboat station to rescue a father and son after their boat drifted out to sea on Thursday 29 July.
Whilst patrolling the beach, Senior lifeguard Callum Swatman observed a small sailing boat capsize just 100m away from the shoreline. As the person was not in any danger in the water, Callum remained observing the situation. However, a man immediately swam out to the boat and assisted in turning it back over before returning to shore.
On his return, the man explained that he was the father of the person in the casualty boat. He reassured the Southwold North lifeguards that all was well and his son was coming back to shore immediately.
At around 4:35pm, the boat capsized again with the father once again swimming out to help his 15-year-old son. However, Callum decided to paddle out to sea on the rescue board to prevent the sail boat from drifting further out. The charity’s lifeguard returned to shore with the teenager, who received medical care from lifeguard Ella Tolliday in case he had swallowed a lot of water.
Callum paddled back out to the sail boat to provide assistance to the father, who was tentative to leave his sail boat so the Senior lifeguard contacted Southwold Lifeboat Station. RNLI Southwold quickly arrived, collecting the father on board and towing the boat back to shore, as this was the safest option.
The RNLI Southwold lifeguards remained with the father and son after the rescue to re-assure them and give them key safety advice.
Lead Lifeguard Supervisor Ted Morgan congratulated the duo for choosing to visit a lifeguarded beach: ‘It was great that the father took his son to sail at one of our lifeguarded beaches. This meant as soon as they found themselves in trouble, one of our lifeguards was immediately on hand to assist him.
'Going to a lifeguarded beach is essential, especially in this unpredictable weather. Offshore winds can quickly drift you far out to sea in a matter of minutes.’
For more information please visit: https://rnli.org/safety/beach-safety
Notes to editors
RNLI Southwold North lifeguard service has been operating since 2001. To learn more about the lifeguarded beach go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeguarded-beaches/southwold-north-beach
Lead Lifeguard Supervisor Ted Morgan is available for interview.
RNLI/Derry Salter
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 142,700 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter 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.