COASTGUARD PRAISE 999 CALLER AFTER WINDSURFER IS FOUND

Swansea Coastguard has thanked a woman who helped to save a windsurfer's life after dialling 999 and reporting that he appeared to be in difficulty.

The woman called the Coastguard at 4.20 pm on 1 December 2001 to report that she had been watching a windsurfer who had been sitting on his board off Ogmore-by-Sea for 10-15 minutes and was drifting up the channel.

The Coastguard asked the woman to continue to keep an eye on the windsurfer's position. Porthcal Inshore Lifeboat, Porthcal Coastguard Rescue Team (CRT) and Llantwit Major CRT were then requested to attend the scene immediately.

Ten minutes later another 999 call was received from a windsurfer's friend reporting that a 29-year-old man from Bath had gone out an hour and a half ago from Newton Beach and had not returned. Descriptions were taken and it appeared from reports that the two windsurfers were one and the same person (this was later confirmed).

The lifeboat arrived on scene at 4.34pm and, after an initial search, which was then refined by the Coastguard, picked up the cold and wet windsurfer at 4.40pm. The man was recovered approximately one and a half miles from where he had first set out on a windsurfing trip.

Swansea Coastguard Watch Officer, Bernie Kemble said, "We are very grateful to the initial informant for calling us to report her concerns over the windsurfer. Without her information, it would have been much more difficult to find the windsurfer after he had drifted from his initial position, particularly as it was getting dark. Time is critical in incidents such as these, and although the man was very cold he was otherwise unharmed.