FAMILY OF FOUR RESCUED FROM SEA


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At 3.15 pm today, Brixham Coastguard received a 999 call from a member of the public reporting that three children were in difficulty in the sea at Carlyon Bay, St Austell, Cornwall.

The man reported that one lady had gone into the sea to assist the children.
Brixham Coastguard called out the St Austell Coastguard rescue team and alerted the Ambulance service. A rescue helicopter was requested and the Fowey RNLI lifeboat was requested to launch.

The Coastguard rescue team were the first to arrive on scene and found three children and one adult on the beach suffering from the effects of being in the cold water. They rendered assistance until the ambulance service arrived.

The rescue helicopter from RNAS Culdrose and the Cornwall Air Ambulance both landed on the beach and the four were evacuated in the Royal Navy helicopter to Treliske Hospital, Truro suffering from Hypothermia.   

Two boys aged 9 and 14 had gone into the sea to attempt to recover their two dogs. They were overcome by the sea conditions, and the 16 year old sister and mother then went in to assist them. An off duty fireman then went into assist these four from the water.
The weather at the time was a south westerly wind, force 4 with a rough swell. The air temperature is 7 degrees, with a sea temperature of 8 degrees centigrade.

Fiona Iris, Watch Manager, Brixham Coastguard said:

This family of four are now in the hospital after going into the sea after their pet dogs.  The south westerly wind does have an effect on the sea and this can cause large breaking waves. The combined effects of the cold wind and the cold water can cause hypothermia very quickly.

We would recommend that you keep your pet dogs on a lead near the water or cliff edges.  Please do not enter the water after your dogs.  More often than not dogs will get themselves out of trouble.

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