RNLI lifeguards respond to medical emergency at Bantham beach
On Sunday morning (1 June) just before 11 am, RNLI Lifeguards patrolling Bantham beach in Devon responded to a complex lifesaving rescue and medical emergency after they had spotted a wing foiler waving for help in windy conditions, over 200m from shore.
RNLI Lifeguard Ben Goffin and Senior RNLI Lifeguard Noah Hindley immediately responded and launched the rescue watercraft (RWC). Once they arrived on scene, the pair were able to gather that the casualty had been involved in an accident with his board and had a suspected spinal injury.
With this information, Senior Lifeguard Jess Rendell at neighbouring lifeguarded beach Sedgewell Cove coordinated a response from HM Coastguard and the ambulance service. Meanwhile Ben and Noah worked to safely rescue and recover the injured casualty back to shore. With Ben expertly negotiating the surf on the RWC, the team arrived safely back on shore where they could begin casualty care treatment.
RNLI Lifeguards Alex Mason and Harry Durant assisted with providing casualty care as well as clearing the scene as they awaited the arrival of the air ambulance. Working together with paramedics, Coastguard rescue officers, and a community first responder, the casualty was safely stretchered off the beach and into the helicopter for their onward journey to hospital.
Luke Lane-Prokopiou, Seasonal Lifeguard Supervisor, said: ‘This was a fantastic show of multi-agency working with all teams working in harmony to ensure the best outcome for the casualty. Without the initial actions of RNLI Lifeguards this could have been a very different outcome. We could not be prouder of how our RNLI Lifeguards acted, they were true professionals in a complex lifesaving operation.
‘RNLI lifeguards will be on Bantham beach every day throughout the summer between 10am and 6pm and will be on hand to deliver safety advice and help people who have got into difficulty in the water.’
Media contacts
For more information, please contact Adam Cleary on [email protected] or contact the RNLI Press Office on [email protected] or 01202 336789. Alternatively, you can contact Emma Haines, Regional Communications Manager, [email protected] or 07786 668847; Amy Caldwell, Regional Communications Lead, [email protected] or 07920 81880.
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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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