Rescuers scale down search for boy

Aug 22 2009

The search for a 13-year-old boy swept into the sea has been scaled down.

But the coastguard said rescue teams would continue to look for the boy through the night after a wave swept him off a pier in Porthcawl, South Wales.

He has not been seen since about 6.30pm on Friday when Swansea Coastguard received 999 calls.

A spokeswoman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said survival time in the water at this time of year was estimated to be about three hours.

The RNLI inshore lifeboat from Porthcawl was continuing to look for the boy. Coastguard teams from Porthcawl, Port Talbot and Llantwit Major were searching the coast on the shore.

Police and RAF helicopters were withdrawn after earlier taking part in the search.

The coastguard spokeswoman said: "They have done a thorough search of the area that they were given and at this time of year there will be other calls and other jobs and they have to release the crews as well. It was a very thorough search this evening."

She added: "I was informed that he was seen to be taken off the pier by a wave, but what he was doing there or how he got to be there I don't know."

She said the pier was part of the sea wall at the popular resort's harbour. Teams would be searching the coast to see if the boy came ashore, she said. "If he is in the water then the lifeboat is searching as well," she added.

Lifeboats from Mumbles and Atlantic College were also initially involved in the hunt, co-ordinated by Swansea Coastguard, as was Rescue Helicopter 169 from RAF Chivenor and a police helicopter.