Ten Torbay beach-goers swept out to sea in dangerous conditions

Hazardous conditions caused havoc for beach-goers at the weekend, with ten people including two children swept out to sea in Torbay. 

It was the combination of strong offshore winds and inflatables that made for a busy day for Torbay Coastguard, Paignton Coastguard Rescue Team and RNLI Torbay. 

All four incidents involved inflatables being blown out to sea in the weekend’s stormy conditions. At 2pm on Saturday (July 6), the coastguards attended their first incident - two paddle boarders were blown offshore from Paignton Beach and were struggling to return. They were taken onboard a Torbay lifeboat. 

Just 25 minutes later, the coastguard team were notified of three people who were stranded on Thatcher Rock after their inflatable kayak was punctured. Along with the two paddleboarders, everyone was safely brought back to Torquay Harbour to receive blankets and safety advice. 

However, as the lifeboat reached Torquay Harbour, yet another incident was declared. This time an adult and two children were blown offshore in an inflatable dinghy at Preston Beach. By the time the coastguard had arrived, they had already been assisted by a passing paddle boarder and brought back to Paignton Beach. 

In the evening, the team were called out to Saltern Cove where two people were struggling to return to the shore in their inflatable dinghy. Coastguard Rescue Officers first on the scene found two people in the water after their boat had become submerged. Officers were able to direct the Inshore Lifeboat to their location who were quickly on scene. They recovered two very cold casualties and took them to Paignton Harbour to be met by coast guard and ambulance personnel. 

A spokesperson for HM Coastguard said: “Flags, such as those on Paignton Pier show you the strength and direction of the wind. Please avoid the use of inflatables such as inflatable dinghies, which are best saved for the swimming pool. 

“In a coastal emergency dial 9️99 and ask for the Coastguard.”