Two children were rescued from being carried out to sea by CCTV operators who came to rescue after seeing them struggling to paddle back to shore. The incident took place in the sea at Mablethorpe when the current pulled the children 150 metres out from the beach in their black rubber ring.
One Lincolnshire councillor said a potentially "very tragic incident" was avoided. Beach-goers are being urged to not bring inflatables to the seaside due to the dangers of the current changes pulling people further out to sea. East Lindsey District Council said that the incident on on Wednesday, August 3, just after 3pm could have led to "sad and devastating consequences" if it wasn't for the CCTV operators' observations that day.
The cameras were being monitored over Mablethorpe's Queen's Park by a duty CCTV operator based at Boston Borough Council when the children were seen to be in difficulty. An alarm was then raised to the emergency services with the children being seen moving further out to sea, as seen in Lincolnshire Live.
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One of the operators kept a close eye on the children whilst another operator alerted Lincolnshire Police. A lifeboat was deployed along with RNLI lifeguards at the scene as well as police.
The operators were able to confirm the children were in distress despite false information that they were safe and back at shore. An RNLI lifeguard entered the sea and swam 800m to safely rescue them.
Councillor Steve Kirk, portfolio holder for the Coastal Economy who also has responsibility for Water Safety at East Lindsey District Council said: "This could have been a very tragic incident if it was not for the two CCTV operators' observations, quick reporting and factual updates given to the emergency services during what was a fast-moving live incident. This could have had sad and devastating consequences.
"As well as this incident, the RNLI lifeguards have made other rescues involving inflatables in recent days on our coastline. The message is simple – don’t bring inflatables when visiting our beautiful beaches."
He added: "They may appear to be a fun, beach accessory but we know how dangerous they can be and how quickly the current in the North Sea can change. You can quickly drift further into sea and even the best swimmers can get into difficulty.
"We want everyone who comes to the Lincolnshire coast for the day or on holiday to have a safe and enjoyable experience every time they visit. Please do not risk the dangers that come with taking an inflatable out to sea."
The district's CCTV monitoring works 24/7 and works in partnership from a shared control room at Boston Borough Council. The children were checked over by paramedics after being pulled onto shore and were then able to go home an hour later.
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