Beach safety advice is 'ignored'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/wales/8269235.stm

Version 0 of 1.

The RNLI says it is shocked so many people are ignoring safety advice as figures suggest some lifeboat crews have had their busiest ever summer.

More than half the RNLI lifeboat stations in Wales saw an increase in launches this summer compared to 2008.

Moelfre lifeboat station on Anglesey launched 42 times from June to August, double last summer's total.

The RNLI said people being blown out to sea on inflatable vessels was one of the main causes of call outs.

Colin Williams, RNLI divisional inspector of lifeboats for Wales, said: "We have seen some dramatic incidents in Wales this summer - a number of tragedies have been averted thanks to the quick response and professionalism of the RNLI's volunteer crews.

Despite warnings about the dangers of the use of inflatables on beaches, people still fail to realise how dangerous they can be Colin Williams, RNLI

"We are, however, extremely shocked that despite consistent warnings, people have still put themselves in extremely dangerous situations and are failing to act on our advice."

According to preliminary figures, 46 lifeboats operating out of Wales' 31 RNLI lifeboat stations launched 518 times during the summer, a slight increase on last year.

But the RNLI has been surprised by the number of launches in certain areas, particularly on Anglesey.

Moelfre saw the most launches but Beaumaris was the second busiest in Wales with 35 call outs, while Holyhead was the second busiest all-weather lifeboat station.

Mr Williams said: "Despite warnings about the dangers of the use of inflatables on beaches, people still fail to realise how dangerous they can be.

Inflatable dinghies

"At Moelfre in particular the volunteer RNLI crew have been repeatedly called out to several incidents a day, many of these calls involving children and young people being blown out to sea in totally unsuitable craft and with inadequate clothing and no personal floatation equipment."

RNLI chiefs had warned about the risks of inflatable dinghies in August after the Moelfre lifeboat crew was called out four times in one day.

The rescues included two people who leapt into the water as they were being blown out to sea.

Elsewhere in Wales, the number of rescues at Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, rose from 14 last summer to 35 this year, and the number of launches at New Quay, Ceredigion, doubled.

RNLI lifeguards - introduced in Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Swansea for the first time - have also had a busy summer responding to 1,022 incidents.

Pembrokeshire alone saw an increase from 494 incidents in 2008, when the service was introduced, to 625 this summer.