Press Notice No: 254-09
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Posted 18:12 GMT

At 3:30 pm this afternoon (Sunday) Yarmouth MRCC received three 999 calls reporting a small inflatable toy dinghy being swept out to sea off Bacton. Members of the public on scene informed the Coastguard that two people from the inflatable were trying to swim back to the shore, with one more clinging to the dinghy. It was not clear at that time whether there were more people involved in the incident.

Yarmouth Coastguard kept one caller on the line to give them visual updates whilst sending Mundesley Coastguard Rescue Team to the scene as well as requesting the launch of the Mundesley Volunteer Inshore Rescue Boat. RAF Helicopters were also tasked from Wattisham and Leconfield. Security Police from the Bacton Gas Terminal also assisted in the incident.

Mundesley Volunteer Rescue Boat located the dinghy a mile out to sea, and found a woman clinging to the inflatable. It transpired that there had been three members of a family on board the inflatable and all were accounted for as the son and daughter of the woman had managed to swim to shore. The son and daughter were reported to be suffering from shock, hypothermia and water inhalation; and were treated by paramedics prior to the ambulance arriving on scene.

The three members of the family, who were on holiday from Northamptonshire, went out in the dinghy earlier that afternoon and were quickly swept out to sea. The daughter, 12, panicked and tried to swim to shore and got into difficulties. The son, 18, then jumped into to assist her and got into difficulty himself. The father then tried to reach them from the shore and all three made it back, leaving the mother clinging to the dinghy (later rescued by the Rescue Boat).

Jason Jones, Coastguard Officer, Yarmouth MRCC said:

When will people understand the dangers of these inflatable toys, especially in offshore wind conditions? We issued very stern warnings, both yesterday and today, of the forecast wind dangers to all local media and holiday centres, strongly warning people not to use inflatable dinghies but the message does not seem to have sunk in.

If it were not for the fast response by all resources sent to the familys rescue this afternoon, especially the Mundesley Volunteer Rescue Boat, this incident may not have had such a happy ending.


Posted By: Rosie Tapping

For further details contact:
The Maritime & Coastguard Agency Press Office
023 8032 9401