More than a dozen people were rescued from the sea off a popular Pembrokeshire beach yesterday, as conditions caused an ‘abundance’ of dangerous rip currents.
Yesterday, Tuesday 23 July, RNLI lifeguards patrolling at Newgale Beach rescued six people and assisted a further eight from rip currents.
The combination of 1-2ft surf and the sandbanks at low tide caused an abundance of rip currents to form. RNLI lifeguards were kept busy providing preventative advice to the public and encouraging them to swim between the red and yellow flags.
Not long after midday, at the north end of Newgale Beach, a flash rip current appeared. Two bodyboarders were rescued and three surfers were assisted out of the rip current by lifeguard Jake Rogers.
Jake then assisted another two bodyboarders stuck in a rip current and struggling to return to shore.
Lifeguard George Morgan was operating the Rescue Water Craft and spotted two bodyboarders floating out to sea waving for assistance.
One casualty was put onto the RWC sled and the other put on a rescue board and safely returned to shore.
Shortly after Jake was patrolling on the RWC and rescued a surfer and two swimmers who were struggling in a rip current.
Just before the end of the lifeguards’ shift they spotted two bodyboarders who were a long way out of their depth in a rip current and assisted them back to shore.
Senior lifeguard George Morgan said that the combination of surf, wind, and tide moving across the sandbanks at Newgale often creates flash rip currents. The location of these currents can change every day and are impossible to predict.
“Tomorrow, July 25, marks World Drowning Prevention Day, the RNLI is strongly encouraging people to visit a lifeguarded beach,” he said.
“Yesterday’s events show the importance of following this advice, in total we rescued six people and assisted a further eight, but also gave out preventative advice to hundreds of people.”
“We strongly advise that you swim and bodyboard between the red and yellow flags or surf, kayak and paddleboard between the black and white flags. The flagged areas are patrolled at all times by our lifeguards between 10am-6pm.
“If you see the red flag flying, we have deemed that area of the beach as unsafe, most commonly due to rip currents.”
Stuart Penfold, Lead Lifeguard Supervisor for North Pembrokeshire added: “If you find yourself caught in a rip current, don’t swim against it. If you can stand, then wade don’t swim. If you can, try to swim parallel to the shore until you’re free of the current, and then head back to shore. Always raise your hand and shout for help.”
To find your nearest lifeguarded beach visit: Lifeguarded Beaches - Find Your Nearest Lifeguarded Beach (rnli.org)
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