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Five paddleboarders taken to safety by RNLI Lifeboat

Lifeboats News Release

A group of five paddleboarders were assisted to safety by the Sheerness inshore lifeboat after getting into difficulties whilst out on the water in Queenborough Harbour

The volunteer crew of the Sheerness RNLI inshore lifeboat ‘Buster’ launched at 2.24pm on Sunday 21 May after being paged by the UK Coastguard to a group of five people, consisting of two adults and three children, who had got into difficulties whilst out on paddleboards.

They were initially reported to be holding on to moorings close to the Coal Washer Wharf in the harbour but when the lifeboat arrived on the scene at 2.29pm the group had been taken from the water and were safely on board a private vessel.

The ILB crew carried out checks on the five and found the two younger children to be cold and very frightened by their ordeal.

All five were transported back to Queenborough Hard by the lifeboat ,where after further checks and having given sea safety advice, the lifeboat crew were released and returned to station at 2.50pm

Over the last five years, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has seen a surge in people heading out on their paddleboards. In 2022, RNLI lifeguards and lifeboat crews responded to 1,465 incidents, more than double* in comparison to 2021.

In recent years, stand-up paddleboarding has increased in popularity as an accessible and enjoyable activity for many, particularly since 2020.

The RNLI’s lifesaving figures show:

§ Over the past five years, RNLI lifeboat volunteers have helped save the lives of 77 stand up paddleboarders, with 32 lives saved last year.

§ In 2022, RNLI lifeguards saw a staggering 155% rise in paddleboarding incidents compared with 2021 while volunteer lifeboat crews saw an increase of 20%.

§ In 2018, the charity’s lifeguards responded to 247 paddleboarding incidents compared to 1,290 last year, a 422% increase over the past five years.

The RNLI has teamed up with 12 expert training agencies and National Governing Bodies (NGBs)** across the UK and Ireland to develop and promote four key safety messages for paddleboarders. The group are encouraging those heading out on the water to:

§ Wear a buoyancy aid

§ Carry a phone in a waterproof pouch

§ Wear the correct leash

§ Avoid offshore winds

§ The best way to enhance your time on the water is to have a stand-up paddleboard lesson. You will learn useful techniques including tips to help you get back on the board. You’ll also develop your skills and knowledge of how to understand the environment such as wind and tidal information. This will set you up for future paddling.

§ “We’ve seen a huge rise in incidents to paddleboarders over the last few years and a significant number are to people who have been blown or swept out to sea. If you find yourself in difficulty at the coast, please call 999 and ask for the coastguard.”

§ For more information on paddleboards and how to keep safe, visit the RNLI’s paddleboarding safety page: https://rnli.org/.../choose-your.../stand-up-paddle-boarding


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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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.

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