COASTGUARD REMINDER AS MAN INJURED OFF RHOSSILI

People heading out on their boats this summer are being reminded of how to raise the alarm if they get into trouble.

The advice comes as a man in his 50s was injured on a boat just off Worm’s Head at Rhossili. Swansea Coastguard received a call at around 3.30pm reporting that a man was complaining of back pain. The Rhossili Coastguard Rescue Team, the RAF rescue helicopter from Chivenor and Port Eynon RNLI beach lifeguards were sent to the scene. The injured man was brought back to shore by the boat, where he was then airlifted to Morriston hospital by the RAF helicopter.
Marc Lancey, Watch Officer at Swansea Coastguard, said:
“It appears this man was injured after the boat he was in had crashed down over a wave. We weren’t immediately contacted by this vessel, so we’d like to remind boaters that they should get in touch with us if they are hurt or get into difficulty. Carrying a VHF radio on your vessel is vital and VHF DSC (Digital Selective Calling) is strongly recommended, as you can send a distress alert along with your exact position to the Coastguard with one touch of the button.
“We’ve also seen a number of other incidents on this summer Saturday, including groups of people becoming cut off by the tide at Cefn Padraig Sands, Llanelli and Mumbles Middle Island. It’s best to check the tide times before you head out for a walk to make sure you don’t become stranded. If you do, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.”

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