July 31, 2026 - 205 views
Two teenagers were rescued after being blown around half a mile offshore on a paddleboard in Red Wharf Bay.
Moelfre Inshore Lifeboat was launched shortly before 5.30pm on Wednesday, July 29, after reports were received that two children had been carried out to sea by the wind while paddleboarding in Traeth Coch (Red Wharf Bay).
It was also reported that a parent was attempting to wade out to help, while the teenagers were not wearing buoyancy aids and were not confident or strong swimmers.
As the lifeboat was preparing to launch, an off-duty RNLI crew member in their own boat heard the Coastguard’s “any vessel” call for assistance and immediately headed towards the area to help.
Meanwhile, crew members at Moelfre lifeboat station spotted the teenagers approximately 500 metres offshore using high-powered binoculars and guided the lifeboat towards their location.
The off-duty crew member reached the pair first, providing an update to the Coastguard, before the Moelfre lifeboat arrived shortly afterwards.
The teenagers were brought safely aboard the lifeboat, where they were checked for any medical concerns and given thermal protection and lifejackets before being taken back to shore.
They were reunited with their relieved families, who had raised the alarm after seeing what had happened.
Following the rescue, Moelfre RNLI and local Coastguard teams from Moelfre and Cemaes offered safety advice to the families and warned of the dangers of entering open water without the correct equipment and experience.
Lifeboat coxswain Vince Jones said the teenagers were extremely fortunate given the conditions and the distance they had travelled offshore.
He said their decision to stay with the paddleboard rather than attempt to swim back had been crucial, as they were not wearing lifejackets and were not confident swimmers.
He urged anyone new to paddleboarding, or those who are not strong swimmers, to make sure they have appropriate training, advice and safety equipment before going out on open water.
The rescue came after a busy period for Moelfre RNLI volunteers, who also launched their inshore lifeboat twice on Saturday following incidents involving a kayak and a paddleboard.
The station’s water safety team regularly shares advice and runs live water safety sessions to help people enjoy the coast safely.
The RNLI continues to remind people that wearing a suitable buoyancy aid, checking weather conditions and telling someone where they are going can make a vital difference in an emergency.
