Prestatyn casualties rescued after drifting roughly 900m offshore

Lifeguards had spotted inflatables blowing out to sea and requested the assistance of Rhyl RNLI.

The three casualties, one of whom was tired and another couldn’t swim, were roughly 900 metres offshore when they were found by crew members and then brought back to the shore.

Rhyl RNLI’s D-class boat had earlier been tasked to Kinmel Bay sandbank, as three people had been cut off by the tide.

A crew member assisted, and they were safely returned to shore.

Later in the afternoon, the lifeboat was paged again as two young casualties were being blown out to sea in a dinghy, near Lyons Robin Hood Holiday Park.

The casualties had abandoned their dinghy and were clinging to a post in the sea, but were returned to shore, along with their inflatable.

On their way back to the lifeboat station, the crew members were once again diverted to Kinmel Bay, as another inflatable dinghy was blowing out to sea.

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At the scene, the volunteers were met by casualties who had been trying to swim the dinghy against the wind to return to shore.

They were helped into the D-class and brought to safety.

RNLI lifeguard supervisor, Fabio Cimmino, said: “It’s great to see so many people getting out to enjoy the coast. We want everyone to have fun at the beach, but to do so safely.

“When we fly the orange windsock, we strongly advise against taking inflatables of any kind in the water. Inflatables are very light and can quickly be blown out to sea.

“Whether it’s a paddleboard, kayak, dinghy or unicorn, they’re best saved for the swimming pool.

“The lifeguards responded quickly and put their training to great use.

“Without their display of courage and critical thinking skills to request assistance of the lifeboat, the outcome for the casualties could’ve been very different.

“If you find yourself or see anyone else in difficulty, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.”

Callum Robinson, deputy coxswain at Rhyl RNLI Lifeboat Station, said: “It’s very important that people understand the risks of taking inflatables in the sea.

“The offshore wind poses a great risk to those using inflatables as they can quickly be swept out to sea.

“It was concerning to arrive at scenes over the weekend where one dinghy had been abandoned, and another where someone had got out and was attempting to swim it back to shore.

“Getting out of or off your inflatable is not advised, even when you’re blowing out to sea. It’s always best to hang onto your floatation device, whatever it may be.

“Most of our shouts over the weekend were called in by members of the public who happened to spot the people in difficulty.

“Please remember to carry a means of contact, like a VHF radio or a mobile phone in a waterproof case when you’re heading out to sea. It could save your life.”