
Exmouth RNLI tasked to attend report of unresponsive swimmer
Exmouth RNLI lifesaving volunteers were tasked this evening to a report of an unresponsive swimmer in the sea off Holcombe.
At 6.10pm today Wednesday 27 July 2022, H.M. Coastguard requested the launch of both Exmouth RNLI all weather lifeboat 13-03 R & J Welburn and inshore lifeboat D-805 George Bearman II to a report of an unresponsive swimmer east of Holcombe, South Devon.
The volunteer lifesavers, who were at Exmouth Lifeboat Station on exercise, launched immediately and, together with Teignmouth B-Class lifeboat
B-809 The Two Annes and an H.M. Coastguard Rescue Helicopter, commenced a search of the locality. They quickly located the casualty, who had been diving in the area, and he was taken on board the Teignmouth lifeboat, given emergency first aid and conveyed to Teignmouth Lifeboat Station where he was further treated by an ambulance crew and conveyed to hospital.
Both Exmouth RNLI lifeboats were then stood down and resumed their training exercise.
Exmouth RNLI volunteer lifesavers who took part in the assignment were :
All Weather Lifeboat : Coxswain : Steve Hockings-Thompson, Lifeboat Mechanic : Mark Sansom and crew Roger Jackson, Peter Aitken, Charles Swales and Dougie Wright.
Inshore Lifeboat : Helm : Harry Griffin, Geoff Mills, James Edge and Nick Wright
Other volunteers involved were Deputy Launch Authority, Rob Vince. Shore Crew : Head Launcher : John Dinsdale, Tractor Driver : Karl Halford, Rory Carrig, Paul Dean, Steve Woodbridge and Jake Richards.
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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