Lifeguards rescue family (From Tivyside Advertiser)

Lifeguards rescue family

9:33am Wednesday 21st July 2010

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Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeguards from Ceredigion, along with a RNLI lifeboat from Poppit Sands and New Quay mobile Coastguard Unit, came to the aid of a 38-year-old man and two six-year-old boys, whose sailing dinghy had got into trouble near the shores of Tresaith Beach, Ceredigion, on Monday 19 July.

The rescue began at just after 1.30pm on Monday afternoon (19 July) when a sailing dinghy containing a father, his young son, and a young friend of the family, began drifting into the red and yellow flagged swimming area at Tresaith Beach, Ceredigion.

The father was trying to get the boat into shore away from the swimming area and made a sharp turn but the boat capsized.

To deal with the incident, two RNLI lifeguards patrolling the beach – Olivia Draper and Sam Bailey - dropped the red and yellow flags and temporarily closed the beach to swimmers.

After contacting the Coastguard and tasking a local lifeboat from Poppit Sands, Sam then went to the stricken dinghy and brought the two young boys to shore where their mother was waiting.

The father had decided to stay with the stricken dinghy, which by this time was drifting perilously close to rocks. Olivia Draper paddled out on a rescue board to assist the father.

Eventually, they managed to direct the capsized dinghy into a nearby cove until the lifeboat came and managed to take the dinghy back to shore at Tresaith.

RNLI area supervisor Dylan Jones said: ‘This was a textbook rescue from Olivia and Sam, for which they are to be commended. They took the necessary step of closing the beach down for swimming and got everyone out of the water before they then ensured that the family in the stricken dinghy was rescued or kept safe until a lifeboat arrived.

‘Their actions ensured the safety of all beach users that day. ‘Our advice to people using sailing dinghies around the coast is to ensure that they liaise with the Coastguard, or RNLI lifeguards if they are setting off from a lifeguarded beach, to say how long they intend to be out at sea.

They should also make sure that all the necessary safety equipment for such a voyage, including flares, buoyancy aids, lifejackets. Along with a VHF radio or mobile phone to keep in contact while out at sea. They should also make sure that all equipment is in good working order.

‘The RNLI wants families to have a good time at the beach and when they are out in the water. But the key thing is to be safety aware at all times, and always be prepared to ask lifeguards or another appropriate agency for safety advice before setting out.’

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