Peterhead lifeboat launched after child drifts out to sea on inflatable
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Peterhead's RNLI volunteer crew was called out on Wednesday to reports of a child drifting out to sea on an inflatable off Scotstown Head, to the north of the town.
The all-weather lifeboat The Misses Robertson of Kintail was launched at 4.45pm and quickly made way north of Peterhead assisted by the Coastguard, air support and nearby fishing vessels.
On route to the location, the crew spotted a green inflatable found in the water with no person in sight.
The Coastguard instructed the RNLI crew to commence a search pattern from the location of the found inflatable.
On initiating the search, the Coastguard confirmed that the child had been recovered safely to the shore and was in the care of UK Coastguard coastal teams from Peterhead and Fraserburgh.
While checking on the recovered child, it became apparent that a teenager, who had gone to the aid of the youngster in the water, was starting to feel unwell.
The RNLI crew supported the casualty from the beach back to Peterhead before transferring the teenager to a paramedic team for further treatment.
Duty coxswain Patrick Davidson said: "Being called out to a young person reported in the water is one of the most dreaded by the crew.
"We can’t stress enough how dangerous inflatables are in the open sea. On this occasion, it was a good outcome and strong multi-agency collaboration.
"I want to thank the member of the public, who went to into the water in aid of the child, and the crew for their professionalism and excellent casualty care.
"Inflatables can be fun when used safety, but every summer they are one of the most common reasons our lifeboat crews and lifeguards are called to action. They are not designed for the beach, so it is easy to get swept out to sea."
People bringing an inflatable to the beach should follow these safety tips:
- Choose a lifeguarded beach
- Use their inflatable close to the shore and between the red and yellow flags
- Ensure children are supervised
- Never use inflatables in big waves or when the orange windsock is flying
Anyone who gets into trouble in the water should Float to Live by leaning back, using their arms and legs to stay afloat.
They should control their breathing, then call for help or swim to safety. In a coastal emergency, call 999 or 112 for the Coastguard.
