Porthcawl RNLI’s volunteer crew were paged by HM Coastguard following reports that a person had got into difficulty whilst swimming from the outfall pipe on Porthcawl seafront between Irongate and Hutchwns Points. There was a heavy ground swell and the casualty was being swept out to sea by the current.
The charity’s Atlantic 85 lifeboat Rose of the Shires was launched on service arriving on scene and locating the casualty within 7 minutes of the initial page. As the crew arrived alongside the casualty they found him floating on his back as per the RNLI’s float to live advice.
The casualty was taken onboard the lifeboat and given casualty care by the crew as they proceeded back to the lifeboat station. The casualty was taken to hospital by land ambulance for further checks due to concerns for secondary drowning as he had taken in water during the incident.
If you’re struggling in the water, floating could save your life.
– Tilt your head back and submerge your ears
– Relax and try to control your breathing
– Move your hands to help you stay afloat
– It’s OK if your legs sink, everyone floats differently
Once you are over the initial shock, call for help or swim to safety. In a coastal emergency dial 999 or 112 for the coastguard.