RNLI Lifeguard Owen Montgomery
A RNLI lifeguard recently came to the rescue of two bodyboarders in quick succession. The bodyboarders, both children, had been pulled out to sea by a strong rip current off Portrush.
On Friday (16 August) at 5.28pm, while on patrol, Owen Montgomery spotted a boy who had been taken further out to sea by a fast body of moving water, which is more commonly known as a rip current.
Owen immediately took the RNLI rescue board and went out to the boy, who was struggling to keep his head above the water after losing his bodyboard.
Owen manoeuvred the child onto his rescue board and once back to shore, assessed his condition. The boy was shaken but thankfully did not need any further medical attention.
Moments later, Owen was alerted to a 12-year-old girl who was in difficulty in the same rip current and who had let go of her bodyboard. The girl’s mother raised the alarm.
Lifeguard Emma-Jane Service on patrol
Lifeguard Emma-Jane Service proceeded to take the first child out of Owen’s care while Owen rushed back into the waves to rescue the girl.
The girl’s mother who asked not to be named but wished to alert others to the danger of rips said:
“I started to panic. The waves were so big and choppy and she seemed tiny out there.’Owen brought the girl safely back to shore and carried out routine first aid checks and found the casualty hadn’t swallowed any water.
“I’m so grateful for Owen’s help,'” said the girl's mother. “If it wasn’t for him, I think I could have been facing a very different situation. He didn’t think twice about helping someone in need - it was such a selfless thing to do, I couldn’t be more grateful.”
Rip currents are strong, fast bodies of water that move out to sea, which can quickly drag people and debris away from the shallows of the shoreline and out to deeper water. They tend to flow at 1–2mph but can reach 4–5mph, which is faster than an Olympic swimmer.
Rips are especially powerful in larger surf, but never underestimate the power of any water. They are also found around river mouths, estuaries and man-made structures like piers and groynes.
RNLI lifeguard Owen Montgomery with Rescue Board
RNLI lifeguard Owen Montgomery who also surfs in his spare time said:
“Rip currents can be hard to spot and you will struggle to swim against them. If you are ever caught in one, don’t try to swim against it or you’ll get exhausted. If you can stand, wade don’t swim. If you can, swim parallel to the shore until free of the rip and then head for shore. Always raise your hand and shout for help.”
If you are not the strongest swimmer, you can Float to Live:
• Tilt your head back with ears submerged
• Relax and try to breathe normally
• Move your hands to help you stay afloat
• It's okay if your legs sink we all float differently
• Spread your arms and legs to improve stability