Busy weekend of rescues for Pembrokeshire RNLI lifeguards

The RNLI is reminding the public to choose a lifeguarded beach when visiting the coast as the warm weather continue this week.

Over the weekend (28-29 June), beaches across Pembrokeshire were busy, which coincided with bigger surf. North Pembrokeshire RNLI Lifeguards rescued five people and assisted a further seven, all of whom were stuck in rip currents.

At Whitesands Beach, Lifeguard (LG) Cai Owen spotted a young surfer at the south end of the beach who was struggling in a rip current. As Cai entered the water, the surfer got off their board and was trying to swim to shore. Cai advised them to get back on their board and to paddle parallel to the shore until they were free of the current. The surfer was washed back into shore by a set of waves and was advised to go between the black and white flags.

Two swimmers were drifting out of the red and yellow flags towards a strong rip current. Senior LG Jake Rogers attempted to whistle them back into the flags, whilst LG Tom David prepared to go in. The swimmers were swept into the current and lost their footing, meaning they were going under water. Tom entered the water on a rescue board, as he approached the swimmers he could see they were repeatedly going under the surface.

Tom reached them, got them to hold onto the rescue board to stay afloat and signalled for assistance from Jake. When Jake reached them on his rescue board, they were both safely returned to shore and assessed. One of the casualties had swallowed a moderate amount of water so was advised to go to hospital for further assessment, due to the potential risk of secondary drowning

At Newgale Beach, a swimmer was spotted struggling to return to shore outside the red and yellow flags. Senior LG George Morgan entered the water on a rescue board and assisted the swimmer back onto a sandbank. George encouraged the swimmer to go in between the flags and explained they had been caught in a rip current. The swimmer was able to return to shore.

Shortly after, George was patrolling on the Rescue Water Craft (RWC) when he spotted a surfer off his board who was struggling to swim against a rip current outside of the black and white flags. George approached the surfer, encouraged them to get on the rescue sled and safely returned them to shore.

A swimmer was struggling to return to shore due to the dumping waves. LG Isaac Hadri-Khoussa entered the water and assisted the swimmer back to shore.

Five surfers were stuck in a rip current outside of the lifeguard patrolled zones. Isaac entered the water with a rescue board, gave verbal instruction to the group which helped four out of the five of them get to safety. The fifth initially didn’t want assistance but continued to struggle. Eventually, they were helped onto the rescue board and paddled to shore.

A bodyboarder was struggling in a rip current 100m away from the flags. LG Geraint Campbell drove the All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) to get there promptly and entered the water with a rescue tube. Geraint towed the bodyboarder to safety and encouraged them to go in between the red and yellow flags.

Stuart Penfold Lead Lifeguard Supervisor for North Pembrokeshire said:

‘This weekend has proven the importance of visiting a lifeguarded beach. All of the rescues and assists were executed outside of our patrolled zones. We position the flags in the safest areas of the beach, and where possible use red flags and wind breaks to mark rip currents.

‘Rip currents are strong channels of water that can drag you out to sea. They can be spotted as a channel of churning or choppy water on the sea’s surface. They can also appear as an area of flat water in breaking waves.

‘We encourage everyone to swim and bodyboard between the red and yellow flags or surf, kayak and paddleboard between the black and white flags. If you see a red flag, do not enter the water as we have deemed that area as dangerous.

‘If you see anyone in difficulty at a lifeguarded beach, alert a lifeguard. Anywhere else along the coast, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.’

If you do find yourself caught in a rip:

- Don’t try to swim against it or you’ll get exhausted.
- If you can stand, wade don’t swim.
- If you can, swim parallel to the shore until free of the rip and then head for shore.
- Always raise your hand and shout for help.

Media Contacts

For more information, please contact Anya Walton Communications Placement at [email protected] or call 07977468268. Alternatively, please contact the RNLI Press Office at [email protected] or call 01202336789.

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The RNLI is the charity that 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 146,700 lives.

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