RNLI expecting busiest weekend of the year
On the second weekend of August in 2024 the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) had its busiest day of the year with the most launches by their lifeboats and rescues by their lifeguards. With scorching temperatures forecast, the charity are urging people to follow their water safety advice.
On Sunday 11 August 2024, RNLI lifeboats launched 105 times, coming to the aid of 244 people, while RNLI lifeguards aided 984 people after responding to 632 incidents.
This meant that in total, the RNLI aided 1,228 people on August 11 2024, with 100 of the 105 lifeboat launches taking place within 10 nautical miles of the shore (95%).
One of these launches was to Samuel Kassu, who was enjoying a Sunday afternoon swim in Mumbles, South Wales when he began to struggle against the sea and was in serious difficulty.
‘The more I tried to swim the more it pushed me back to the centre, and I started to get tired’ said Samuel.
‘I quickly remembered that if I flip onto my back and call for help, it may buy some time for help to come. I remembered that before I went into the water, I’d seen a fisherman by the side packing up his things. I flipped onto my back and started to call for help. He said ‘do you need help’ and I shouted ‘yes’. I kept saying ‘help, help’.
Samuel was in a precarious position, but he remembered crucial RNLI advice ‘Float to Live’, which played an important role in saving his life.
‘I managed to float to calm myself. I saw that advice on a YouTube demo by the RNLI. I remember the video saying said the more you breathe normally, the more you’ll be like an air-filled sponge and able to stay afloat. Turn around, keep calm, keep calling for help. I wasn’t panicking because I knew what to do. I knew that I could float for as long as it took for help to come.’
By using this lifesaving technique, Samuel allowed time for The Mumbles RNLI to launch their lifeboat to rescue him from the water.
‘As they arrived, I felt myself floating in one direction and felt like the sea wasn’t controlling me anymore. I was happy and grateful that they had come. They lifted me out of the water onto the boat.’
Samuel’s story serves as a stark reminder that things can change quickly while swimming in the sea and highlights the importance of the RNLI’s Float to Live campaign.
He was one of 1,228 people aided by the RNLI on August 11 2024, and a year on the charity are reminding visitors to the coast to take precautions to remain safe in the sea.
RNLI Water Safety Manager, Sam Johnson, said: ‘The second weekend of August last year saw the RNLI’s busiest day of the year and we’re expecting another busy weekend.
‘We urge everybody planning a trip to the coast to visit a lifeguarded beach, to swim between the red and yellow flags and remember to Float to Live if you get into difficulty in the water.
‘Tilt your head back, with your ears submerged. Relax and try to breathe normally. Move your hands and legs to help you stay afloat if you need to. It’s fine if your legs sink – we all float differently. By doing this, you give yourself the chance to rest and recover your breathing. Once you’ve regained control of your breathing, you can call for help or swim to safety.’
With the busy summer season in full flow, the RNLI is urging people to take these essential precautions:
- Visit a lifeguarded beach where possible and swim between the red and yellow flags.
- If you find yourself in difficulty in the water or see someone that is, remember to Float to Live.
- In an emergency, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
RNLI media contacts
For more information please contact Adam Cleary, RNLI Communications Placement at [email protected] or contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,700 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.