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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/jun/08/three-rescued-after-inflatable-duck-drifts-out-to-sea-off-devon-coast
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| Three rescued after inflatable duck drifts out to sea off Devon coast | Three rescued after inflatable duck drifts out to sea off Devon coast |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| RNLI volunteer says paddleboarder was the ‘real lifesaver’ at Westward Ho! as lifeboats called in | RNLI volunteer says paddleboarder was the ‘real lifesaver’ at Westward Ho! as lifeboats called in |
| Three people on a giant inflatable duck have been rescued after it drifted out into the Bristol Channel from a beach in Devon. | Three people on a giant inflatable duck have been rescued after it drifted out into the Bristol Channel from a beach in Devon. |
| Witnesses reported how the men pumped up the duck, which has been nicknamed Quackers, at Westward Ho! and took it out to sea along with a friend on an inflatable kayak. | Witnesses reported how the men pumped up the duck, which has been nicknamed Quackers, at Westward Ho! and took it out to sea along with a friend on an inflatable kayak. |
| After five minutes, they had drifted out about 75 metres from the beach and the friend in the kayak tried unsuccessfully to push them back to shore. The coastguard was called when the inflatable was 200 metres offshore. | After five minutes, they had drifted out about 75 metres from the beach and the friend in the kayak tried unsuccessfully to push them back to shore. The coastguard was called when the inflatable was 200 metres offshore. |
| A member of the public went out to the duck on a paddleboard to try to save the men. Struggling against the current, the man managed to tow the inflatable closer to shore, where the men all jumped out and swam to the beach. The inflatable was immediately blown back out to sea. | A member of the public went out to the duck on a paddleboard to try to save the men. Struggling against the current, the man managed to tow the inflatable closer to shore, where the men all jumped out and swam to the beach. The inflatable was immediately blown back out to sea. |
| Volunteers from Appledore Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) were out in their inshore and all-weather lifeboats on a routine training exercise when they were asked by the coastguard to assist the men. | |
| The inshore lifeboat arrived as the men made it back to shore safely, with crew member Del Elsemore swimming in to check on them. | The inshore lifeboat arrived as the men made it back to shore safely, with crew member Del Elsemore swimming in to check on them. |
| Elsemore said: “The quick thinking of this member of the public with a paddleboard prevented a nasty situation turning much worse. He was the real lifesaver of the day.” | Elsemore said: “The quick thinking of this member of the public with a paddleboard prevented a nasty situation turning much worse. He was the real lifesaver of the day.” |
| The lifeboats returned to their exercise after the incident on 6 June, complete with Quackers on board. | The lifeboats returned to their exercise after the incident on 6 June, complete with Quackers on board. |
| A spokesperson for the rescue charity said: “With the strong tides and offshore breezes of the Bristol Channel, Appledore RNLI urges people never to take an inflatable toy into the sea. | A spokesperson for the rescue charity said: “With the strong tides and offshore breezes of the Bristol Channel, Appledore RNLI urges people never to take an inflatable toy into the sea. |
| “There is no way to control these and they get pulled out from shore within seconds. If any member of the public sees someone getting into difficulty in the water, please, as this eyewitness did, call 999 and ask for the coastguard.” | |
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| The Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) has warned of the risks of open water, as there are more drownings during heat waves than at any other time of year. | |
| Lee Heard, the director of the RLSS, said: “Devastatingly over the recent weeks we have seen a number of people, including many children, lose their lives when in or near the water. There is evidence that there is a link between warmer weather and increased number of accidental drownings, and we want to ensure that everyone is equipped with the vital knowledge to allow them to safely enjoy being in or around the water.” | |
| In 2022, 46% of the 226 accidental drownings took place in June, July and August, according to official figures, including the drowning deaths of seven teenage boys during the July heatwave. |