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| How Tynemouth surfer brothers sruvived rip current terror | How Tynemouth surfer brothers sruvived rip current terror |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Euan and Andrew survived being caught in a rip current | Euan and Andrew survived being caught in a rip current |
| On Saturday 17 May, two brothers got caught in a terrifying rip current at a popular surfing beach in north-east England. They hope sharing their experience will save lives. | On Saturday 17 May, two brothers got caught in a terrifying rip current at a popular surfing beach in north-east England. They hope sharing their experience will save lives. |
| It was a great day for a surf, with 5ft-high swells sweeping along the shore at Tynemouth. | It was a great day for a surf, with 5ft-high swells sweeping along the shore at Tynemouth. |
| Euan, 21, and Andrew, 19, were among the dozens dotting the breaking blue waves at Longsands that lunchtime. | Euan, 21, and Andrew, 19, were among the dozens dotting the breaking blue waves at Longsands that lunchtime. |
| When they rented their boards from a hire centre at the beach, the pair from Gateshead were advised of the safest spots to surf. | When they rented their boards from a hire centre at the beach, the pair from Gateshead were advised of the safest spots to surf. |
| But, unwittingly, they were being blown by a northerly wind towards a rip current, a permanent fixture beside the lido at the southern end of the mile-long beach. | But, unwittingly, they were being blown by a northerly wind towards a rip current, a permanent fixture beside the lido at the southern end of the mile-long beach. |
| By the time they realised, it was too late. | By the time they realised, it was too late. |
| Longsands has a near-permanent rip current at its southern end, near the lido | Longsands has a near-permanent rip current at its southern end, near the lido |
| Andrew was the first to get caught, he had stayed out on the water while his brother went ashore to get a different surfboard. | Andrew was the first to get caught, he had stayed out on the water while his brother went ashore to get a different surfboard. |
| "I did not really know what was going on," Andrew says. "I was going full pelt and not getting anywhere." | "I did not really know what was going on," Andrew says. "I was going full pelt and not getting anywhere." |
| When Euan returned, he instantly saw his younger brother was in trouble and went out to try and help him, getting himself caught in the current. | When Euan returned, he instantly saw his younger brother was in trouble and went out to try and help him, getting himself caught in the current. |
| "It was like trying to swim on a treadmill," Euan recalls. | |
| No matter how hard he swam, he found himself and his brother being pulled out to sea by the current. | No matter how hard he swam, he found himself and his brother being pulled out to sea by the current. |
| Both quickly realised how serious their situation was, and it became even more perilous when they began to get separated. | Both quickly realised how serious their situation was, and it became even more perilous when they began to get separated. |
| Tynemouth is popular with surfers | Tynemouth is popular with surfers |
| While each was struggling to keep themselves afloat, they also had the added fear of not knowing what was happening to the other, as they disappeared from each other's view. | While each was struggling to keep themselves afloat, they also had the added fear of not knowing what was happening to the other, as they disappeared from each other's view. |
| Their first urge was to panic and swim as hard as they could to get out of their predicament. | Their first urge was to panic and swim as hard as they could to get out of their predicament. |
| "I could hear myself panicking but I just knew that would not help me," Euan says. | "I could hear myself panicking but I just knew that would not help me," Euan says. |
| He called at his brother to "just chill", which they laugh about now. | He called at his brother to "just chill", which they laugh about now. |
| But staying calm became key to their survival, the pair remembering the lessons taught to them by their father years before at their local swimming pool. | But staying calm became key to their survival, the pair remembering the lessons taught to them by their father years before at their local swimming pool. |
| Stay calm and float on your back, conserve energy. | Stay calm and float on your back, conserve energy. |
| If caught in a rip current, the advice is not to try and swim against it but rather head to towards the side | If caught in a rip current, the advice is not to try and swim against it but rather head to towards the side |
| Andrew was being bombarded by the breaking waves, tumbling in the tumultuous North Sea. | Andrew was being bombarded by the breaking waves, tumbling in the tumultuous North Sea. |
| Luckily, he was thrust close to the rocks, which he was able to make a quick burst for and haul himself up on to. | Luckily, he was thrust close to the rocks, which he was able to make a quick burst for and haul himself up on to. |
| But Euan was too far away and being pulled further out to sea. | But Euan was too far away and being pulled further out to sea. |
| He had seen his brother get out to safety, flooding him with relief, his attention now turning solely to his own predicament. | He had seen his brother get out to safety, flooding him with relief, his attention now turning solely to his own predicament. |
| "I was completely helpless," Euan recalls. "I was just very aware no matter how hard or long I swam there was no chance of me fighting this." | "I was completely helpless," Euan recalls. "I was just very aware no matter how hard or long I swam there was no chance of me fighting this." |
| Neither really knows how long the ordeal lasted or how far they travelled, but it felt like a long time and a long distance. | Neither really knows how long the ordeal lasted or how far they travelled, but it felt like a long time and a long distance. |
| Euan and Andrew hope their experience will save others from getting caught | Euan and Andrew hope their experience will save others from getting caught |
| They both say they had "pretty scary" and "dark" thoughts during their struggle, principally about what had happened to the other. | They both say they had "pretty scary" and "dark" thoughts during their struggle, principally about what had happened to the other. |
| Several members of the public, including a 10-year-old boy, saw what was happening and called for help. | Several members of the public, including a 10-year-old boy, saw what was happening and called for help. |
| The RNLI Cullercoats team was paged at 12:09 BST, and 11 minutes later four crew members were aboard their boat Daddy's Girl, bursting out into Cullercoats bay and down the coast. | The RNLI Cullercoats team was paged at 12:09 BST, and 11 minutes later four crew members were aboard their boat Daddy's Girl, bursting out into Cullercoats bay and down the coast. |
| Two minutes later they found Euan. | Two minutes later they found Euan. |
| He struggles to describe the relief he felt seeing the bright orange boat bearing down on him. | He struggles to describe the relief he felt seeing the bright orange boat bearing down on him. |
| "That was a great feeling," he says. | "That was a great feeling," he says. |
| The Cullercoats RNLI boat is a B class Atlantic called Daddy's Girl | The Cullercoats RNLI boat is a B class Atlantic called Daddy's Girl |
| He was hauled over the inflatable side and taken back to the Cullercoats lifeboat station to be checked over and treated with a bag of gummy sweets. | He was hauled over the inflatable side and taken back to the Cullercoats lifeboat station to be checked over and treated with a bag of gummy sweets. |
| He had not realised how cold he was until the paramedics started to look him over. | He had not realised how cold he was until the paramedics started to look him over. |
| The station's operations manager drove him back to Tynemouth for a reunion with his brother. | The station's operations manager drove him back to Tynemouth for a reunion with his brother. |
| "We gave each other a big hug," Euan says. | "We gave each other a big hug," Euan says. |
| Andrew, who was already out of his wetsuit and into his clothes, recalled the relief he felt at seeing his brother tempered by the soggy embrace from Euan's wetsuit. | Andrew, who was already out of his wetsuit and into his clothes, recalled the relief he felt at seeing his brother tempered by the soggy embrace from Euan's wetsuit. |
| The pair drove home in a daze, Andrew putting I Will Survive on the car's radio. | The pair drove home in a daze, Andrew putting I Will Survive on the car's radio. |
| "We were in shock," Euan says. | "We were in shock," Euan says. |
| Andrew agrees: "I do not think either of us processed what we had been through." | Andrew agrees: "I do not think either of us processed what we had been through." |
| Longsands Beach is a mile long | Longsands Beach is a mile long |
| The rip current that caught them is a near permanent feature of Longsands, caused by the North Sea surging past the 1920s-built concrete lido. | The rip current that caught them is a near permanent feature of Longsands, caused by the North Sea surging past the 1920s-built concrete lido. |
| It is, according to the RNLI, "topographically constrained", while other rip currents can also regularly form along the beach. | It is, according to the RNLI, "topographically constrained", while other rip currents can also regularly form along the beach. |
| Rip currents can reach speeds of 5mph and pull anyone caught in them out to sea. | Rip currents can reach speeds of 5mph and pull anyone caught in them out to sea. |
| They can be difficult to spot but are "sometimes identified by a channel of churning, choppy water on the sea's surface", the RNLI says. | They can be difficult to spot but are "sometimes identified by a channel of churning, choppy water on the sea's surface", the RNLI says. |
| Rip currents are the number one source for lifeguard call-outs, Geoff Cowan, the RNLI Cullercoats safety advisor says. | Rip currents are the number one source for lifeguard call-outs, Geoff Cowan, the RNLI Cullercoats safety advisor says. |
| Geoff is full of praise for the brothers, first for their actions in the moment and secondly for speaking out about it afterwards in a bid to boost awareness of the perils of rip currents and what to do if caught in one. | Geoff is full of praise for the brothers, first for their actions in the moment and secondly for speaking out about it afterwards in a bid to boost awareness of the perils of rip currents and what to do if caught in one. |
| Geoff Cowan (right) and other RNLI volunteers are pleased the brothers are sharing their story | Geoff Cowan (right) and other RNLI volunteers are pleased the brothers are sharing their story |
| Advice if caught includes to not try and swim against the current, but rather try and head parallel to the shore until free from its grip. | Advice if caught includes to not try and swim against the current, but rather try and head parallel to the shore until free from its grip. |
| The brothers had several things in their favour, Geoff says, including being young and fit and, crucially, they were wearing wetsuits, which provided invaluable buoyancy aid. | The brothers had several things in their favour, Geoff says, including being young and fit and, crucially, they were wearing wetsuits, which provided invaluable buoyancy aid. |
| They also followed the Float to Live protocols, advice issued by the RNLI to prevent drowning. | They also followed the Float to Live protocols, advice issued by the RNLI to prevent drowning. |
| "We want people to enjoy the water but be mindful of what can go wrong and what to do if it does," Geoff says. | "We want people to enjoy the water but be mindful of what can go wrong and what to do if it does," Geoff says. |
| The brothers have already asked RNLI volunteer Sarah Whitelaw how they can support the RNLI in the future | The brothers have already asked RNLI volunteer Sarah Whitelaw how they can support the RNLI in the future |
| Additional advice includes carrying a phone in a waterproof pouch and using the SafeTtrx app, which would quickly enable the RNLI to locate those in trouble. | |
| Pressing the side button on a mobile phone five times will also start a 999 call, Geoff says. | Pressing the side button on a mobile phone five times will also start a 999 call, Geoff says. |
| The brothers are yet to return to the sea, but they have been to the Cullercoats station with their family to thank those who came to their aid. | The brothers are yet to return to the sea, but they have been to the Cullercoats station with their family to thank those who came to their aid. |
| "We are really pleased to see them both," Geoff says. | "We are really pleased to see them both," Geoff says. |
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