RNLI issue advice after two teenagers are rescued from a rip current at Seaburn

Volunteers from RNLI Seaburn and Roker lifeguards were alerted to two teenage girls who were caught in a rip current at Seaburn at around 2.30pm on Tuesday, August 17.

Senior Lifeguard Lily Humphries was alerted by a member of the public who came to the lifeguard unit to report three girls screaming in the water just outside of the red and yellow flags.

Lily quickly attended the scene and found that one of the girls had managed to wade out of the water with the assistance of a member of the public.

RNLI Seaburn lifeguards David Buckley and David Batty entered the water with a rescue tube and rescue board and managed to return another to the shore.

Due to the strong current, the team RNLI team at Roker were called for assistance, with Andy Brown and Joe Whelan of the RNLI Roker team arriving quickly on a jet ski and brought the remaining girl back to safety.

Two of the girls received medical care from the lifeguard teams before an ambulance was called for cold water shock.

Lead Lifeguard Supervisor Sean Mills has issued advice on how to survive in a rip current and praised the girls for following the RNLI’s Float to Live advice.

He said: “When we rescued the girls, they were all floating in the rip current. One said she remembered someone visiting her school and telling her to Float to Live.

“This knowledge saved her life. The girls’ parents should all be proud of them for following our advice.

"However, we do advise beachgoers to swim between the red and yellow flags when visiting one of our lifeguarded beaches. That way our lifeguard team can immediately be of assistance if you find yourself in trouble.”

If you find yourself stuck in a rip current, you must fight your instinct to thrash around, lean back and extend your arms and legs, if you need to then gently move them around to help you float, continue to float until you can control your breathing and only then call for help or swim to safety.

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