Fistral beach: 'Mass rescue' of 16 shows danger of rip currents

Lifeguards at Fistral beach in Newquay helped 19 people caught in rip currents on Tuesday

Lifeguards carried out a mass rescue of 16 surfers and bodyboarders pulled out to sea in a powerful rip current.

The RNLI said the rip appeared on Fistral beach in Newquay as the tide was going out at 13:00 BST on Tuesday.

Rip currents are the fast-moving water that flows in channels between sandbanks on a beach and along headlands.

Senior lifeguard, Arron Evans, said the incident showed how "quickly you could find yourself caught out" in the sea.

Lifeguard Liv Harwood responded first, pulling casualties on to her rescue board and calling for help as she saw more people pulled into the path of the current.

Mr Evans said the incident showed "how powerful rip currents can be".

The RNLI said conditions at the beach were sunny with 2-4ft (0.6-1.2m) surf and "lots of people in the sea", at the time of the mass rescue.

Fistral regularly attracts thousands of visitors and is often used as a venue for surfing competitions.

Mr Evans said: "At the moment on Fistral there is a deep trench that runs across the middle of the beach.

"The big tides combined with the surf conditions meant that when the tide was going out, a really strong rip current started to pull out to sea."

The rescue happened 45 minutes after lifeguard Lesley Dawson went to help three surfers caught in a rip current and struggling to return to shore.

The RNLI urged beachgoers to remember its rip current safety advice when entering the water.