2 similar incidents on separate shores of the Solent, involving casualties who swallowed sea water, led to a busy evening for Cowes RNLI lifeboat last night (Saturday).
The 1st call-out concerned a man and a women needing assistance in the sea off Lepe in Hampshire.
The lifeboat – which launched at 20:14 – arrived to find that although the couple had by then made the shore, both were very cold and were suffering from the effects of swallowing sea-water.
They were attended to by lifeboat crew member, Dr Will King, who administered oxygen, before they were taken to a waiting ambulance for assessment.
Then, just as the lifeboat was in the process of being recovered into the Cowes station, there came another alert over concerns for a man and a woman in the sea off East Cowes.
The lifeboat crew arrived to find both sick from water ingestion; although the man quickly recovered, the woman was eventually stretchered to a waiting ambulance. Again Dr King played a key role in the initial care, once more administering oxygen.
Coastguard Rescue Teams also attended both emergencies, with officers from both Ventnor and Bembridge in attendance at East Cowes.
Thank you to the brave man in East Cowes who put his own life at risk by entering the water to help me and to the amazing lifeboat crew including Dr King who was so kind and compassionate, I cant thank you enough.
Thankfully no one was seriously injured, next time try not drunk swimming at gone midnight.
You were lucky it was only 4 foot deep and slack tide at the time. Different tide different outcome.
Since when has 20:14 been “gone midnight”?
if that’s true lets hope he makes a nice donation to the lifeboat for wasting their time