Young paddleboarder rescued by RNLI after being swept out to sea
A young paddleboarder who was swept out by the tide has thanked the RNLI for rescuing him.
Volunteer crew at Abersoch RNLI were called at 3.45pm, Saturday 8 August after reports of a teenager being swept out to sea in Aberdaron Bay.
The casualty was found without his paddleboard and it's thought he had left his board in an attempt to swim ashore. He was able to describe his location as he was carrying his mobile phone in a waterproof pouch.
The boy was airlifted to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor after being found extremely cold, confused and showing signs of hypothermia. He also appeared to have swallowed a significant amount of water.
The RNLI are warning the rescue could have been very different were it not for the boy’s preparation in wearing a lifejacket and having a means to call for help.
RNLI helm Fritz Williams said: "This call-out shows just how crucial a lifejacket is and having a means of calling for help. A lifejacket can buy you valuable time in a time-critical situation whilst you wait for help to arrive. Staying with your vessel/flotation device can help you to keep warm out of the water and also make you easier to find’.
The boy has since been released from hospital and has expressed his gratitude to all of the volunteer crew.