White flare aids Dorset paddleboard rescue
28/08/2021
A white illuminating flare helped RNLI crew locate a paddleboarder who had been blown out to sea in Dorset, UK.
The end of July incident was the first of two back-to-back paddleboard rescues by Swanage RNLI.
They had been asked to respond by the UK Coastguard after reports of the paddleboarder being blown out to sea from Studland.
The inshore and all-weather lifeboat crews both searched the area. They contacted the paddleboarder by mobile phone, but they could not see the paddleboarder.
The all-weather lifeboat crew sent up the white flare and asked the paddleboarder to describe its position relative to Old Harry Rocks, so it could narrow down his whereabouts.
The inshore lifeboat headed downwind and found the paddleboarder who had drifted 2.5 nautical miles from the shore. The paddleboarder was transferred to the all-weather lifeboat, checked and take to the shore.
As they were returning, the crews were asked to locate two paddleboards with three people on them, including a child, who had drifted offshore from Studland’s north beach, but the UK Coastguard was then told they had both made it to the shore.
