40 rescued after sandbank collapses

Jul 25 2009

Three lifeguards have been hailed as heroes after a dramatic life-saving rescue involving three dozen children and four adults.

The party of 40 were plunged into the cold waters at Tenby, west Wales, after a raised sandbank they were on collapsed into the sea.

RNLI lifeguards patrolling Tenby South Beach had already spotted the group before they got into trouble and went into immediate action.

Using nothing more than rescue boards and fluorescent buoyancy aids they ferried everyone to safety.

They then performed first aid on a number of casualties saving lives with their rapid response and professional action, RNLI chiefs claimed.

The dramatic rescue happened at 4pm at a sandbank known locally as the White Back at the right side of the beach outside the red and yellow flag zone.

"They were walking along the long sandbank which as the tide comes in liquefies and gets swept away," an RNLI spokeswoman said. "They found themselves in the sea becoming out of their depth in what are treacherous waters. The group of 36 children and four adults were on the narrow sandbank when the tides changed, causing the entire group to immediately become out of their depth.

"Two of the charity's lifeguards, Adam Pitman and Jon Johnson, entered the water with rescue boards and tubes, and brought the individuals safely to shore. Lifeguard Coral Lewis, who was also on patrol at the time, radioed the Coastguard.

"They then performed first aid on two casualties, one with a hyperthermic asthma attack and the other with hyperthermic secondary drowning. As well as the RNLI lifeguards and Coastguard, the air ambulance paramedics and two land ambulance teams were also at the scene. Six of the group's lives would have been lost had the lifeguards not intervened."

Dave Miller, Coastguard Sector Manager in South Pembrokeshire, added: "The three RNLI lifeguards did a superb job today. If not for their fast response times and the methods they used at the scene, lives would have been lost."