Family of off-duty RNLI lifeguards save lives of three swimmers caught in a rip current

Barnes family lifeguards : (L-R) Masie, Gareth, Scarlet and Issey Barnes © RNLI

A family of off-duty RNLI lifeguards saved the lives of three swimmers - a dad and his son and daughter - on holiday in a major rescue in Cornwall in August.

On the evening of Sunday 20th, the Barnes family were packing up after a barbecue on Treyarnon beach, when off-duty RNLI lifeguard Issey Barnes noticed three swimmers caught in a rip current near the rocks on the south side of the beach.

On her way over to the group she noticed one of the swimmers - a young boy - was waving his arms in distress while the other two were being smashed against the rocks.

Issey immediately signalled for help to her two sisters and her father: Maisie, Scarlet and Gareth Barnes, all RNLI lifeguards. Issey instructed the boy to swim to shore whilst she made her way to the remaining stricken pair: a dad and his daughter caught against the rocks.

Issey said: 'I could see the dad was holding his daughter up out of the water, the effort of doing so was pushing him under. She was limp and clearly in shock.

'I managed to grab her and tow her towards the beach whilst telling the dad to swim away from the rocks, out of the rip and into the middle of the beach.'

The girl had swallowed a lot of water and her breathing was laboured. The man and girl were advised to float on their backs while controlling their breathing in the Float to Live technique.

Issey's twin sister Maisie was close behind and swam out to the father with a rescue tube, managing to take hold of him. He was blue with cold and in shock. Masie safely swam him to shore.

Meanwhile, a third Barnes sister, Scarlet, also an off-duty RNLI lifeguard, had commandeered a surfboard from a member of the public and was able to help Issey by pulling the girl onto the makeshift rescue board and swam her out of the rip current

Issey said: 'My dad Gareth, also an RNLI lifeguard, arrived on a rescue board and the boy was transferred to him. Once my sister Maisie got to shore, she left the dad with my mum Deborah, who had been reassuring the family and taking care of the younger boy while this had been unfolding.'

Maisie ran to the lifeguard unit to collect the crash bag - the lifeguards' extensive first-aid kit - before commencing casualty care on the family, including warming them up, administering oxygen and monitoring their vital signs.

An ambulance was called, and the young girl was taken to hospital.

Henry Irvine, RNLI Regional Lifeguard Lead for the South West said: 'This is a stark reminder of the dangers faced when entering the water after lifeguard patrolling hours.

'This family was extremely lucky to have had the Barnes family recognise they were in difficulty. It could very easily have been a different outcome had these off-duty RNLI lifeguards not been at the beach at that time.

'I am extremely proud of the Barnes family for their unwavering commitment to their job, and for saving these three lives.

'I urge anyone visiting the coast to only enter the water at a lifeguarded beach, to swim between the red and yellow flags and especially only during the patrolling hours of 10am - 6pm. Read the signage at the entrance to the beach, ensure you are familiar with the local hazards and be aware of the conditions and your capabilities. You can always speak to a lifeguard if you are unsure.'

If you do find yourself caught in a rip current:

• Don't try to swim against it - you'll get exhausted.
• If you can stand, wade don't swim.
• If you can, swim parallel to the shore until free of the rip and then head for shore.
• If you can't get back to shore, Float to Live: Tilt your head back with ears submerged, relax and try to breathe normally, move your hands to help you stay afloat, it's OK if your legs sink - we all float differently, spread your arms and legs to improve stability, and when you're calm, raise you hand and call for help

RNLI website: rnli.org