Dramatic footage shows rescue of man swept out to sea in Cornwall

A man has been rescued from the sea by RNLI in Cornwall after venturing in to retrieve possessions that had been swept away by the incoming tide.

It happened on the evening of Sunday 3 September. At around 7.30pm a call was made reporting a person in the water around 50 metres off Trebarwith Strand.

He found himself battling against the combination of a high spring tide and large swells, meaning he was unable to return to the shore.

The Port Isaac RNLI lifeboat crew arrived at the scene, closely followed by the Coastguard rescue helicopter. The volunteer lifeboat crew located the person in the water, successfully recovering the man from the water.

Senior Helm, Damien Bolton said: "This incident serves as a stark reminder of the perils posed by our coastal waters. Retrieving personal belongings from the water, especially during adverse conditions, is extremely dangerous and should never be attempted.

"Around 140 people lose their lives at the UK and Irish coasts each year, and over half never even planned to enter the water."