Pembrokeshire RNLI lifeguards rescue multiple beachgoers during heatwave

Last week, Pembrokeshire RNLI Lifeguards at Whitesands Beach and Newport Beach were busy in action, including helping rescue three people who found themselves in difficulty in the water.

With another heatwave sending many people flocking to the Pembrokeshire coast, it was a busy week for RNLI lifeguards. This came just a few days after Tenby Castle Beach Lifeguards rescued two paddleboarders who were struggling to get back to shore, after being taken out to sea in a rip current.

The footage (from Sunday, August 9) shows Lifeguards Lili Collier’s quick response in returning the casualties back to the beach safely.

On Sunday, August 9, lifeguards responded to three individuals drifting out to sea on a paddleboard after getting caught in a rip current.

17-year-old Lili ran in to assist on a rescue board, paddling 200m out to sea to the three casualties.

When Lili arrived, she explained that they were drifting out to sea in a rip current. One of the three individuals was a strong swimmer and made their way back to shore. Lili brought one of the casualties onto her rescue board and paddled them back to the beach.

Meanwhile, 20-year-old Gabe Thicker, also a Castle Beach lifeguard ran in with a rescue tube to swim the male casualty and paddleboard to shore.

Last Wednesday, August 12 at Whitesands Beach, Senior Lifeguard Jake Rogers (23) spotted a bodyboarder drifting out to sea in a flash rip current south of the red and yellow flags.

Jake alerted Lifeguard Katie David (19) at water’s edge who ran in with a rescue board. Katie reached the casualty and helped them onto her board before returning the casualty to shore.

Also last Wednesday at Newport Beach, Lifeguards Jago Sime (25) and Josh Barrett (18) rescued two boys on an inflatable drifting out to sea. One of the boys panicked and fell off the inflatable, unable to swim.

Lifeguard Josh ran in with a rescue board and quickly made their way out to the first boy in the water. Josh reached the first casualty and helped them onto his board before getting the second casualty. Josh paddled both casualties back to shore on his rescue board, returning the boys to their parents.

Both lifeguards gave the children and parents some safety advice and advised them not to use inflatables during offshore winds. Senior Lifeguard Jago then went to retrieve the inflatable from the water, returning it to shore.

Later that day, Josh and Jago were tasked by HM Coastguard to a person that had injured themselves at the south end of the beach.

The person had dived into the estuary, landing on their head, crushing their neck. Lifeguard Jago responded on the all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and administered casualty care. Jago monitored the casualty with the Coastguard Rescue Team until the ambulance arrived and helped to evacuate the casualty on a stretcher.

Matty McLeod, RNLI Lead Lifeguard Supervisor for the North Pembrokeshire Team said: “Jago and Josh represented the RNLI extremely well that day, dealing with a double rescue and a serious major first aid alongside the Coastguard and paramedics.

“All the lifeguards worked extremely hard last week to keep people safe during busy conditions and hot weather.

“Due to their quick preventative actions and vigilance, many people were able to enjoy time in the water safely.”