Newquay RNLI crew answer three calls to people struggling in offshore winds
Newquay RNLI lifeboat volunteers were paged three times in just over 24-hours on Friday and Saturday and tasked to three separate incidents involving four people surfing near Fistral Beach.
On Saturday (19 March) at 1.49pm Newquay’s RNLI volunteers were paged and tasked to attend an incident at Fistral, where two surfers had been blown out to sea in a moderate south easterly offshore wind. They were being assisted by Newquay Surf Life Saving Club but were unable to make their way back to the shore.
The charity’s Atlantic 85 lifeboat launched and the crew successfully recovered the two surfers, who were checked over for any injuries and taken back to the lifeboat station, where they were given a hot drink whilst they recovered from their ordeal.
Either side of Saturday 's rescue, the lifeboat crew were called to two other incidents in the Fistral area. At 12.50pm on Friday (18 March) Newquay lifeboat volunteers were called to assist a surfer who had got into difficulty in the water at Pentire Head, near to Baker's Folly. Both of the charity’s inshore lifeboats responded, along with Newquay Coastguard rescue team, however lifeguards who had been undergoing training at nearby Fistral Beach reached the casualty on their rescue water crafts and took the casualty to the safety of the beach.
Less than an hour after Saturday's rescue, the pagers sounded again at 2.32pm and the lifeboat crew were alerted to another surfer being blown out to sea in the same area, however on arrival at the scene the casualty had made it safely back to shore with the assistance of Newquay Surf Life Saving Club and the lifeboat crew stood down and returned to Newquay Harbour around 3pm.
When going surfing, check weather conditions, surf with a buddy and know your limits. If you see someone in difficulty at the coast, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard. For further RNLI safety advice, go to:
www.rnli.org/safety/choose-your-activity/surfing
Notes to editors
The attached picture shows Newquay RNLI lifeboat approaching the two surfers off Fistral Beach on Saturday. Credit: Dale Unnuk/Big Green Surf School.
Newquay lifeboat station opened in 1860 and today’s RNLI volunteers operate two inshore lifeboats and are on call 24-hours-a-day to save lives at sea.
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For more information please contact Andy Hobkinson, Newquay RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, email: [email protected] or mobile: 07880 507464 or Emma Haines, Regional Media Officer at [email protected] or 07786 668847 or contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789 (24 hours).
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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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