Paddleboarder rescued by Porthdinllaen RNLI

The crew were tasked at 5.10pm by UK Coastguard after a paddleboarder had been spotted in difficulty near Bwlch at Morfa Nefyn Beach.

Launching into a choppy sea with a strong South Westerly wind, the lifeboat with Second coxswain Robert Jones at the helm, made the short journey at the best possible speed, to the last known position of the casualty.

Arriving at the position, the lifeboat started scouring the local area when the station shore crew contacted the lifeboat that the casualty had been sighted. A member of the public walking on Porthdinllaen headland had spotted an object in the sea and on closer inspection was able to identify that there was a person in the water waving frantically. Due to the strong currents and wind, the casualty had been swept out of the bay in a short period of time, was and being buffeted by the waves.

The lifeboat, guided from shore by a member of the shore crew, was on scene in a matter of minutes, with casualty being brought onboard by the team. The casualty was assessed by a casualty care trained crew member and found to be well but suffering from the effect of the cold. Once the back on station, the casualty was given a hot shower and a warm drink.

Robert Jones, Second Coxswain at Porthdinllaen added:

‘The good teamwork we have at the station between the all-weather lifeboat crew and our shore based crew resulted in an excellent rescue today. I`d also like to thank the member of the public who alerted the our shore team, as always I cannot emphasize how important it is for anybody that ventures to the sea, the importance to notify somebody ashore what and where and how long you intend to be afloat, to carry a means of alerting for assistance should you find yourself in need of assistance, and always to wear the appropriate floatation device’.

Key facts about the RNLI

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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