The volunteer RNLI crew at Criccieth were called to action at 5.15pm on Tuesday (31 May) to assist three adults and two teenage children in difficulty. The party from Telford had walked out to a sandbank off Garreg Samson at the entrance to Porthmadog estuary and found themselves in trouble when the tide turned.
The RNLI Atlantic 85 lifeboat Doris Joan was launched along with the Arancia inshore rescue boat, which was transported by road and launched at Borth y Gest. The party were placed onto the smaller Arancia rescue boat and transported to the Atlantic 85 lifeboat, which took them to the waiting Coastguard team at Borth y Gest.
Criccieth RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager Peter Williams says:
‘There was a fast flowing current all around the sandbank and an RNLI volunteer crew member waded onto the bank. The helmsman requested that the Arancia inshore rescue boat pick up the casualties and transfer them to the Atlantic 85, which waited in the main channel. One young girl was cold and she was given a survival smock to wrap around her.
‘It would have been dangerous for party to wade in the fast flowing water and at least one of them was a non-swimmer. With the rapid filling tide it would not have been long before the sandbank would be completely covered over. There would have been considerable risk in the casualties trying to swim ashore and we are convinced that today their lives were saved by the volunteer crew.’
The RNLI charity offers the following advice to ensure people avoid getting cut off by the tide:
- Always check the tide times before entering the water. If unsure, check with a lifeguard (if there are no lifeguards in the area, check local safety signs or local newspaper, ask the harbour master or someone local to the area)
- Keep an eye on tides – incoming tides can quickly trap people in coves or under cliffs
- Be careful not to get cut off by the tide when walking along the shore and make sure children playing on the beach are not at risk from the tide
- If you see someone in trouble, tell a lifeguard or dial 999 / 112 and ask for the Coastguard.
