Swimmer rescued from rip current at Mawgan Porth

RNLI lifeguards rescued a swimmer caught in a strong rip current at Mawgan Porth on Wednesday.

The man had entered the sea between the red and yellow flags but was quickly dragged out of his depth by the swell. Lifeguard Nick Hooper, on duty at the water’s edge, responded immediately on a rescue board and reached the exhausted swimmer in the impact zone.

With waves crashing around them, Nick reassured the man and called for backup, as the strong current continued to pull them both further out. Lifeguard Riley Mee launched the Rescue Water Craft (RWC) before heading through the surf to help bring the casualty back to shore.

The swimmer returned two days later to thank the team, telling them: “I would have been gone without Nick’s help.”

RNLI lifeguard supervisor Mark Priem said: “We’ve had some tricky conditions on the north coast, with a large swell and big tides creating lots of water movement. Those less confident in the water can easily be caught out. Thankfully, the swimmer was at a lifeguarded beach and between the red and yellow flags, and Nick was able to see the situation and react quickly.”