Latest news with #lifeboat
BBC News
7 hours ago
- Climate
- BBC News
Why do people get cut off by the tide at Wells-next-the-Sea?
A lifeboat service said it has rescued more people cut off by the tide in the past six months than it has in the past seven years. Last week it was called out after 40 people were cut off at two locations on the Norfolk coastline in the space of two hours. Why is the tide so dangerous and what can you do if you get stranded? With heatwaves arriving, the RNLI crew at Wells-next-the-Sea, in Norfolk, has seen hoards of people visit the beach early in the summer season. Despite signs and sirens at the beach, Mandy Humphreys, the water safety officer at Wells RNLI, said a lot of people have a lack of knowledge about the tides. Impact of a changing seabed Ms Humphreys said the contours of the seabed were "always changing" which leads to people being cut off by the tide, even if they have visited that beach before."This is a natural phenomenon. The seabed in this area is very sandy."Unfortunately, over the last couple of years a sandbar has been forming and gradually growing, which runs parallel to Wells beach. The drain that separates it from the rest of the beach is getting deeper." A sandbar is a submerged area of sand or sediment which is formed by waves and currents offshore from a one formed at Wells is said to have one steep side and the other having a shallow Humphreys said she has been involved in rescues where people did not realise they had been cut off. "The beach is very alluring. It's absolutely beautiful... there are a significant number of people that we rescue that don't understand the basics about tides." Tides and times vary Tide times and heights vary throughout the year and can be affected by a number of factors, including the spring equinox, which Ms Humphreys said brings bigger tides than people added that rising sea levels also have an impact and the RNLI can be called out all year round by people cut off by the tide.A tidal surge in March made a "big tide even bigger" and left three people stranded on an area of marshland north of Stiffkey were found "waist deep in water" in an area where the RNLI has not had to rescue people before. Even locals are vulnerable It is not just beachgoers who have found themselves in troubled waters. As the seabed and sand is ever changing, people living locally and those who have visited the beach on multiple occasions can never be sure of the conditions. As one of the hotspots where people become stranded, the RNLI was first alerted to the sandbar at the beach after a group of local residents became unknowingly her time with the RNLI Ms Humphreys has taken part in a simulation of what it is like to be stranded on a sandbar, and despite wearing a life jacket and having a crew near by she said she was left feeling "incredibly vulnerable".She added: "I've helped rescue people from that sandbar and being stood on that sandbar myself... I still felt quite vulnerable and the urge to wade back to safety is a very strong one, I really understand that now." Be aware of the dangers Ms Humphreys said people visiting the beach often have a lower perception of danger when on far this year 43 people have been rescued by the Wells crew after being stranded, with 34 of them at Wells beach."I've been on rescues where we have gone out... the water has been up to my thigh, and then sometimes if there are dogs or children that are frightened it takes some minutes to get them in, and then it [the water] is up to my waist."Having worked with Wells RNLI for the past seven years, Ms Humphreys said it can take crew members up to 10 minutes to get to an incident after being paged. One of the worst things is they do not always know the exact details of the incident they are going out to."The Stiffkey shout, where we had three shouts on Mothering Sunday, we knew they were up to their waists in water… as a crew member that puts the fear of God into me. Every second really does matter."That's real pressure. So we encourage people that if they are cut off, the earlier they can tell us, the longer we have to get there before they are up to their waists in water." What to do in an emergency If you are stranded at the beach, the RNLI urges people to call 999 for help and use what3words to help the service locate is advised people get back to dry sand at least four hours before high tide. Ms Humphreys said: "If they sit tight and wait for the lifeboat to get there, that's the safest thing to do."For Wells station in particular, we know from the description where they are." Even though people may want to wade through the water, the steep side of the sandbar means people can find themselves in deep water "quicker than expected". "It's not the people who call 999 that worry me so much, it's the people who wade back to safety themselves. We get reports of parents holding children above their heads and I worry that if someone loses their footing, you then have a youngster and an adult in the water." The RNLI's Float to Live campaign advises people that if they find themselves in difficulty they should tilt their head back in the water, try to breath normally, and move their arms and legs to help stay afloat. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Boy's sea rescue captured on live TV report
TV viewers were given a stark reminder of the dangers of the sea when a boy became stranded live on air. BBC journalist Debbie Tubby was reporting from Wells-next-the-Sea when cameras captured the 13-year-old getting cut-off on Friday. People watching Look East were able to look on in real time as the beach-goer was loaded on to a lifeboat. Presenter Susie Fowler-Watt said the incident had a "happy ending" as the boy was brought ashore. It happened shortly after the regional news show started airing at 18:30 BST. The BBC was broadcasting live from the popular beach after 40 people were cut-off by the tide within two hours the previous weekend. Almost three minutes into the report, cameras cut to show the boy sitting on sand while surrounded by water. Watch: BBC Look East "You might be able to see a boy who's actually stuck on the sand bar out several metres away from me," said Tubby, live on air. "The RNLI has been launched to try and get him so hopefully we'll get him back safe and sound." The programme continued with other reports before returning to Tubby about nine minutes later. Footage showed the sand had all-but-disappeared and the boy was being helped by an RNLI crew. Speaking from the studio in Norwich, presenter Fowler-Watt said: "This is what we were talking about earlier, how precarious it can become very quickly. "Luckily, the RNLI has reached the boy and he looks like he's safely on the boat there, so a happy ending in that particular scenario." The boy's mother later told Tubby she was grateful for the help he received, but admitted he should be "slightly embarrassed". Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Forty people rescued in a day despite tide warning Beachgoers warned of 'incredibly hazardous' tides Beachgoers urged to check tide times after rescues RNLI
BBC News
15 hours ago
- Climate
- BBC News
BBC TV report captures sea rescue live from beach in Norfolk
TV viewers were given a stark reminder of the dangers of the sea when a boy became stranded live on journalist Debbie Tubby was reporting from Wells-next-the-Sea when cameras captured the 13-year-old getting cut-off on watching Look East were able to look on in real time as the beach-goer was loaded on to a Susie Fowler-Watt said the incident had a "happy ending" as the boy was brought ashore. It happened shortly after the regional news show started airing at 18:30 BBC was broadcasting live from the popular beach after 40 people were cut-off by the tide within two hours the previous weekend. Almost three minutes into the report, cameras cut to show the boy sitting on sand while surrounded by water."You might be able to see a boy who's actually stuck on the sand bar out several metres away from me," said Tubby, live on air."The RNLI has been launched to try and get him so hopefully we'll get him back safe and sound." 'Slightly embarrassed' The programme continued with other reports before returning to Tubby about nine minutes showed the sand had all-but-disappeared and the boy was being helped by an RNLI crew. Speaking from the studio in Norwich, presenter Fowler-Watt said: "This is what we were talking about earlier, how precarious it can become very quickly."Luckily, the RNLI has reached the boy and he looks like he's safely on the boat there, so a happy ending in that particular scenario."The boy's mother later told Tubby she was grateful for the help he received, but admitted he should be "slightly embarrassed". Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
a day ago
- General
- BBC News
Falmouth RNLI to welcome new lifeboat to harbour
Falmouth's Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is set to receive a new all-weather lifeboat to join its new lifeboat - Decibel Too - will be collected from Poole and enter Falmouth waters was funded by a gift left in the will of Richard Coleman, a keen yachtsman who served in the Royal Navy and made voyages on his own vessel called Decibel. Falmouth RNLI coxswain Jonathon Blakeston said he was sure the lifeboat would "serve the station proud". He added: "This is the day we have been waiting for. "It's always good to welcome a new boat that we can call our own." The lifeboat was first put into the water at a bell-ringing ceremony at RNLI HQ in Poole in April and has since undergone acceptance will enter the harbour in Falmouth between 16:00 and 17:00 BST. There will also be a small flotilla of boats to welcome the Decibel Too and recreational water users have also been encouraged to join the welcoming party.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Climate
- The Independent
RNLI rescue a dozen children and adults in trouble after kayaking expedition goes wrong
Watch as the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) rescues a dozen children and adults from the water following a failed kayaking expedition. Footage shared by the lifeboat service on Wednesday (25 June) shows crews assisting members of the kayaking and paddleboarding group who were in trouble off of Cullercoats Bay, North Tyneside. Emergency services received reports of 32 individuals needing help at around 12.30pm on Tuesday (23 June). The team, who launched the rescue effort in powerful winds, were able to rescue 18 people from sea, with the other 14 people managing to get to shore themselves. Lifeguard George Legg said: 'It was an intense situation with five winds blowing outside the harbour creating lots of wind chop.'
