
Fowey lifeboat called out to children being blown offshore on inflatable ring
On 30 June Fowey volunteer lifeboat crew launched the all-weather boat. It had been reported that three teenagers were playing on a large inflatable ring and were being blown offshore in the water off Par sands.
Their father had borrowed a paddleboard from the beach and gone out to try and rescue the children. He had made his way back to the beach, and Falmouth coastguard tasked the lifeboat crew to ensure that all the casualties were accounted for, and to assist St Austell coastguard with first aid treatment, due to the numbers involved.
The small XP boat that is carried onboard the lifeboat was launched and two crew met the coastguard rescue team on the beach. They checked that the three teenagers and their father were uninjured and no additional first aiders were needed. A fishing boat recovered the inflatable ring and handed it over to the lifeboat crew.
Fowey lifeboat station coxswain, Jonathan Pritchard said: ‘Inflatables can be great fun when they’re used safely. But every summer, they’re one of the most common reasons our lifeboat crews and lifeguards are called to action. It is vital that people are aware of the risks involved in using inflatables in the water, whether they are dinghies, beach toys or paddleboards. Offshore breezes can quickly push people out to sea. We advise people to check the weather conditions and tide times before venturing out and to be prepared for changes in the weather which can occur quite quickly. Choose a lifeguarded beach and use your inflatable close to shore and between the red and yellow flags. Children should never be left unsupervised with an inflatable and never use inflatables in big waves or when the orange windsock is flying. In addition those using paddleboards or indeed any form of small craft should always wear some form of buoyancy aid and carry a means of communication such as a phone or radio in a waterproof bag.’
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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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