26-05-2025
Paddleboarder rescued off coast of Abersoch thanks to sharp eyed beachgoers
A paddleboarder was rescued off the coast of Abersoch after being spotted by sharp eyed beachgoers. The incident happened off the village's main beach.
The man had been caught out by off-shore winds and had no flotation device or means to call for help. Luckily for him he was noticed by two members of the public.
They both called 999 to pass on their concerns, This saw a rescue operation launched on Thursday evening.
Abersoch RNLI said: "HM Coastguard received two separate 999 calls from members of the public with concerns about the safety of a paddleboarder off Abersoch main beach. At 5.45pm our Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat was launched and arrived on the scene within five minutes.
"The adult male casualty with no means of calling for help or floatation device, had been drifting in offshore winds for around 30 minutes. He was quickly located and the volunteer crew immediately carried out casualty care to assess him. The casualty was returned to the main beach safe and well and the lifeboat left the scene at 6.00pm."
Elissa Williams, Abersoch RNLI volunteer helm, said: "Whenever you are heading out onto the water please ensure that you have a suitable means of calling for help and make sure that you are wearing suitable clothing for the forecasted conditions, including a personal flotation device.
"Avoid offshore winds as they can easily tire you quickly when trying to return to shore."
