Tregantle RNLI lifeguards perform seven rescues in 24 hours

At around 1:30pm on Sunday 13 June, RNLI lifeguards Beau Gillett and Matteo Castiglione were standing on the water’s edge when they spotted two young girls caught in a rip current who were unable to swim back to the beach. Beau and Matteo immediately paddled out on their rescue boards and returned the girls safe and uninjured to the shore.

This incident was one of seven different rescues performed by the RNLI lifeguards at Tregantle beach that day (Sunday 13 June), making it the busiest day of rescues for them so far this year.

On Tuesday 15 June at around 5:30pm, RNLI lifeguards from Tregonhawke beach were out on their inshore rescue boat in the area near Tregantle beach, which currently isn’t lifeguarded on weekdays, when they spotted a woman caught in a strong rip current who was shouting for help. Lifeguards Terry Dungay and Rupert Callard reached the woman in distress and helped her onto the inshore rescue boat before returning her safely to the beach.

Beau Gillett, Lifeguard Supervisor in South East Cornwall, said: ‘There are currently extremely strong rip currents at Tregantle beach and, over the weekend, we had more than 7 rescues, assisting 20-30 people from incidents related to rip currents. We are pleased that our lifeguards were there to come to the aid of these casualties but, at the moment, RNLI lifeguards are only operating at Tregantle beach on the weekends with our full seven-day lifeguard service not starting there until 10 July.

‘We would therefore like to remind the public to visit a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flags, as it is the safest place to swim. If you are ever unsure about rip currents and where they are located, you should always speak to the lifeguards on duty.’

If you ever find yourself caught in a rip current, try to remember the following key safety advice:

• Don’t try to swim against it, you will quickly get exhausted
• If you can stand, wade don’t swim
• If you can, swim parallel to the shore until free of the rip and then head for shore
• If you can’t swim – FLOAT to live by leaning back in the water, extending your arms and legs, and resisting the urge to thrash around to gain control of your breathing
• Always raise your hand and shout for help

• If you see anyone else in trouble, alert the lifeguards or call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.

Ends

Notes to editor

· Find out more about the lifeguards on Tregantle beach: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeguarded-beaches/tregantle-beach

· See which beaches are currently lifeguarded https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/beaches-with-lifeguards-on-patrol

· To support the RNLI’s lifesavers, go to: www.rnli.org/donate

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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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