Porthcawl RNLI crew rescue two from rock at Newton Point
Porthcawl RNLI’s volunteer crew were tasked by UK Coastguard on Friday 14 May after they’d received a 999 call reporting that two teenagers were trapped on a rock by the incoming tide at Newton Point, Porthcawl.
The RNLI charity’s relief D Class lifeboat Super G II was launched on service with three crew onboard and made best speed to the location. Once on scene the lifeboat was manoeuvred amongst rocks in shallow water in order to reach the rock the casualties were trapped on. Both casualties were taken onboard the lifeboat and transferred to the beach at Newton where they were met by Porthcawl Coastguard team.
Crew member, Chris Kitney said: ‘As we were arriving at Newton Point I realised the two casualties were trapped on the same rock where I’d been involved in a rescue previously. Infact it was exactly three years and one day that the previous rescue took place. I was able to explain to the helm about how we approached the rock to carry out the previous rescue.’
The previous rescue featured in the BBC television series, Saving Lives At Sea which uses actual rescue footage captured by the crews own helmet camera’s to give a frontline view of rescues being carried out.
Helm, Chris Page said, ‘it was a large spring tide on Friday evening which was incoming rapidly. The casualties were lucky someone on the shore dialed 999 for the Coastguard to report their predicament.
‘Bizzarely I got home after the callout and discovered that a repeat of the very episode which featured Porthcawl’s RNLI crew carrying out the rescue at the same rock was being shown on BBC2 that evening. It was almost like watching back what we’d just done earlier that evening.
‘The rescue on Friday and the one shown on BBC2 is a timely reminder to check tide times before you venture out on the coast and always carry a fully charged phone.
‘In a coastal emergency dial 999 and ask for the coastguard.’
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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