Porthcawl RNLI lifeboat were called out on Easter Sunday to a jet ski who’s occupants had been thrown into the cold water in Newton Bay.
Porthcawl RNLI were called out during their usual exercise on Sunday morning to assist a jet ski that was experiencing problems. The crew were just about to launch on exercise when the call came in, this enabled the lifeboat to be launched very quickly. The crew arrived on scene to find that the Jet Ski’s occupants had been thrown into the freezing water and the craft was still in motion.
The lifeboat picked up one of the casualties and brought him safely ashore, while the other swam to awaiting Coastguards who then transferred them both to a Paramedic team. The lifeboat then returned to locate the Jet Ski. Alex Denny Helmsman at Porthcawl carefully manoeuvred the lifeboat alongside the moving craft while Joseph Missen one of the RNLI’s crew jumped onboard the Jet Ski bringing it safely ashore.
Joseph Missen said “The crew of the jet ski were very lucky as the moving craft could have so easily run one of them over while it was circling.”
The lifeboat then returned to station to be re-fuelled when another call came through for the same area, again the lifeboat launched very quickly and went to the aid of a canoeist who had fallen out of his canoe and was finding it difficult to get back ashore. He abandoned his craft and tried to swim for the shore, the lifeboat was able to pick the canoeist up from the water and again put him into the hands of the local Coastguard team. The canoeist and the casualties from the previous call were all treated by the Paramedics in the waiting ambulance and then taken to hospital.
At this time of year the sea is at its coldest and people need to make sure that they are dressed appropriately for these conditions. Also their craft’s have not been in use during the winter months and need to be serviced and prepared correctly before being used for the new season.
