Woman rescued from the sea at St Leonards

On Saturday (July 18), the RNLI rolled out the seasonal workers for the first time this season, following a delay caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Oliver Veness was on duty at the shoreline when he noticed a lady in the sea who was being pulled out quickly and towards the rocks on the next beach.

The woman was in difficult battling against the strong current.

Oliver radioed the lifeguard base at Marina asking for someone to take over his role on the shoreline while he took his board and went out to assist the lady.

When he got near to the woman, he said she was panicking and desperate to get to the shore and dry land.

The RNLI said: “Oliver assessed the situation, looking at all the possibilities, and decided that the best way towards safety was to bring back the casualty through the gap between the rocks. This was much quicker than going between the red and yellow flags. It was a neap low-tide so it was difficult to be sure where the rocks were. This meant that the lady and Oliver received some scratches on the way back but nothing too serious.

“The lady felt immediately better on firm ground, and once she was warmed up and had been treated for her abrasions was relieved to be safe.

“Oliver utilised both the RNLI training he had received when qualifying to be a lifeguard and his practical experience.

“He summed up the situation well, acted promptly and in a calm manner and performed a successful rescue. The end result was a good one and a tragedy had been averted.”

The RNLI has advised that if you spot anyone in distress or difficulty in the water, you should alert the lifeguards: do not attempt the rescue yourself and do not enter the water. The currents along the East Sussex coast can be deceptive so remain safe at all times.