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Mother drowns at Cornwall seaside after lifeguard cover is removed Mother drowns at Cornwall seaside after lifeguard cover is removed
(about 3 hours later)
A mother has drowned off a Cornish beach as she tried to rescue her two sons the day after summer lifeguard cover was removed.A mother has drowned off a Cornish beach as she tried to rescue her two sons the day after summer lifeguard cover was removed.
The woman's sons, aged 11 and 13, were bodyboarding off Northcott Mouth beach, near Bude, when they got into trouble in strong currents. The , aged 11 and 13, were bodyboarding off Northcott Mouth beach, near Bude, when they got into trouble in strong currents. It is believed the woman, who was on holiday with her children, waded into the water to try to help her sons, but was caught in a rip current and swept out to sea.
It is believed the woman waded into the water to try to help her sons on Monday afternoon but was herself caught in a rip current and swept out to sea. One of the boys managed to get back to shore and a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) volunteer crew plucked from the water the other son and two members of the public who had also gone to his rescue.
One of the boys managed to get to back to shore and a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) volunteer crew plucked from the water the other son and two members of the public who had also gone to his rescue. RNLI lifeguards drove across the sand from Summerleaze beach in Bude and pulled the woman from the water. http://www.cornwall-beaches.co.uk/Summerleaze-beach.htm The woman, believed to be in her 50s, was airlifted to North Devon district hospital, but was pronounced dead a short time later. The boys were unharmed.
RNLI lifeguards drove from Summerleaze Beach in Bude and pulled the woman from the water. Steve Instance, RNLI lifeguard inspector, said it had taken the lifeguards just four minutes to drive from Summerleaze to Northcott and they had got the woman out of the water within two or three minutes of arriving at the scene on Monday afternoon.
The woman, believed to be in her 50s, was airlifted to North Devon district hospital but was pronounced dead a short time later. The boys were unharmed. But he confirmed that summer lifeguard cover at Northcott had stopped the previous evening. Quiet and rural, Northcott beach is patrolled in July and August, but beach cover ceases at the end of the first weekend in September. Patrols continue at Summerleaze until the end of the month.
Steve Instance, RNLI lifeguard inspector, said it had taken the lifeguards just four minutes to drive from Summerleaze to Northcott and they had got the woman out of the water within two or three minutes of arriving at the scene. Instance said it wasn't practical to patrol every stretch of coast throughout the year. He said the beach had been patrolled over high summer for around 12 years. Before that, it was not patrolled at all. He confirmed that in the last week or so there have been around six rescues at this spot, but pointed out that the beach had been very busy during that time.
But he confirmed that summer lifeguard cover at Northcott had stopped the previous evening. Quiet and rural, Northcott beach is traditionally patrolled through July and August, but beach cover ceases at the end of the first weekend in September. Patrols continue at Summerleaze until the end of the month. Some local people and holidaymakers argued that the beach should have been patrolled for longer as not all children were returning to school on Monday.
Instance said it wasn't practical to patrol every stretch of coast throughout the year. The RNLI said the period of lifeguard cover on any beach is decided after the charity carries out risk assessments at the request of the local authority or private beach owner and looks at factors such as the number of people who habitually use the beach at certain times and the proximity to other rescue services.
The tragedy has prompted the RNLI to issue safety advice about swimming in the sea. Peter Dawes, RNLI head of lifeguards, said: "We strongly recommend that anyone heading to the beach – particularly those planning to go in the water – should choose a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flags, which is the area most closely monitored by the lifeguards. RNLI lifeguards patrol more than 180 beaches around the UK and the Channel Islands. The charity says that last year it saved 84 lives and assisted 17,671 people. It aims to expand its service, but it costs around £385,000 a day to run, all donated by the public.
"In areas where the lifeguard season is coming to an end, people can help keep themselves safe by finding out about their chosen beach before they go, and reading safety signs at the beach entrance to make themselves aware of the local hazards. The tragedy prompted the RNLI to issue advice about swimming off beaches.
"We'd also urge people to remember their own safety if they see someone else in trouble in the water. It's a natural instinct to try to help if you see another person in danger, but the best and safest course of action is to alert a lifeguard or, if there's not a lifeguard nearby, dial 999 and ask for the coastguard. Trying to carry out a rescue yourself can often mean you're endangering your own life, so remember to call for expert help." Peter Dawes, RNLI head of lifeguards, said: "We strongly recommend that anyone heading to the beach – particularly those planning to go in the water – should choose a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flags, which is the area most closely monitored by the lifeguards.
"In areas where the lifeguard season is coming to an end, people can help keep themselves safe by finding out about their chosen beach before they go, and reading safety signs at the beach entrance to make themselves aware of the local hazards."