25-05-2025
East Lothian casualty airlifted to hospital as family get into difficulty in water
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An East Lothian casualty was airlifted to hospital after a family got into difficulty in the water at a busy local beach.
A multi-agency response was scrambled to Tyninghame Beach on Saturday afternoon as three people were rescued from the water, one of whom needed urgent medical attention.
A HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter also attended the scene before landing on the beach and transporting one casualty to hospital as two others were treated by paramedics.
Dunbar's RNLI volunteers rushed to the scene at around 2.40pm as the family were caught in a strong rip current. An experienced surfer was also on hand to assist them and brought them back onto the beach.
Dunbar RNLI helm Jamie Forrester said: "When we arrived the casualties were all in need of medical assistance. One, in particular, was very unwell. We treated the casualties until the helicopter and ambulance arrived.
(Image: RNLI Dunbar Lifeboat)
"Tyninghame Beach is notorious for strong rip currents, which are difficult to spot. This incident shows how easy a simple trip to the beach can turn serious. If it hadn't been for the swift actions of the experienced surfer, who was a strong swimmer, this could have been a very different outcome."
After all casualties were passed into the care of the ambulance service, the crew stood down at around 3.55pm and returned to the lifeboat station.
The team added: "If you see anyone in trouble in the water, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard. The advice from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution – the charity that saves lives at sea – regarding rips:
"Rip currents can be difficult to spot, but are sometimes identified by a channel of churning, choppy water on the sea's surface. Even the most experienced beachgoers can be caught out by rips, so don't be afraid to ask lifeguards for advice. They will show you how you can identify and avoid rips.
"The best way to avoid rips is to choose a lifeguarded beach and always swim between the red-and-yellow flags, which have been marked based on where is safer to swim in the current conditions.
"This also helps you to be spotted more easily, should something go wrong. The nearest lifeguarded beach to Dunbar is at Coldingham Bay."
