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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/oct/27/rnli-review-lifeguard-cover-following-surfers-death-newquay
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| Newquay surfer deaths: RNLI to review lifeguard cover | Newquay surfer deaths: RNLI to review lifeguard cover |
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| Lifeguard cover is to be reviewed at a popular beach in Cornwall after two men and a woman died on Sunday while surfing off a stretch of the coast that is not monitored this late in the year. | Lifeguard cover is to be reviewed at a popular beach in Cornwall after two men and a woman died on Sunday while surfing off a stretch of the coast that is not monitored this late in the year. |
| The pair were caught in a rip current off Mawgan Porth beach near Newquay at about 1.30pm on Sunday. Four children, who also got into difficulty, were rescued. | The pair were caught in a rip current off Mawgan Porth beach near Newquay at about 1.30pm on Sunday. Four children, who also got into difficulty, were rescued. |
| The adults were taken unconscious from the sea and taken to Treliske for treatment in a serious condition and were later pronounced dead in hospital. Two of the three recovered from the water were given CPR at the scene before they were airlifted to hospital. The victims have not yet been formally identified and police are still contacting next of kin. | The adults were taken unconscious from the sea and taken to Treliske for treatment in a serious condition and were later pronounced dead in hospital. Two of the three recovered from the water were given CPR at the scene before they were airlifted to hospital. The victims have not yet been formally identified and police are still contacting next of kin. |
| Police said the woman and one of the men who died were both in their 40s and from Cornwall. The second man was in his 50s and was from outside the police force’s area. A spokesman said his family has been contacted. | Police said the woman and one of the men who died were both in their 40s and from Cornwall. The second man was in his 50s and was from outside the police force’s area. A spokesman said his family has been contacted. |
| The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) confirmed that lifeguards patrol the Mawgan Porth beach from March to September and that lack of cover is clearly stated in signs on the beach. A spokeswoman told Sky News: “We position lifeguards at certain beaches during the summer months and at other times that we think will be busy during the year.” | The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) confirmed that lifeguards patrol the Mawgan Porth beach from March to September and that lack of cover is clearly stated in signs on the beach. A spokeswoman told Sky News: “We position lifeguards at certain beaches during the summer months and at other times that we think will be busy during the year.” |
| She revealed that a risk assessment would be carried out with other rescue services and local authorities that would consider extending lifeguard patrol at the beach into the autumn half-term holiday. “That risk assessment is decided by taking into account the number of users, the type of users, the topography of the area – how the waves fall there – and the proximity of other rescue services, she said. | |
| “I am sure we will take into account visitor numbers at Mawgan Porth during half-term and once we know what happened today it will form part of the review into whether we need to extend lifeguard cover there.” | “I am sure we will take into account visitor numbers at Mawgan Porth during half-term and once we know what happened today it will form part of the review into whether we need to extend lifeguard cover there.” |
| On Sunday, an air and sea rescue mission was launched after onlookers spotted a group of seven, including four children, in difficulty in the water. | |
| Supt Jim Pearce, of Devon and Cornwall police, said: “This is a tragic incident and our condolences go out to the families of those involved. Along with the other emergency services we are now working to ascertain the full circumstances of this incident and our priority is to contact the families of those involved and offer all the support we can.” | Supt Jim Pearce, of Devon and Cornwall police, said: “This is a tragic incident and our condolences go out to the families of those involved. Along with the other emergency services we are now working to ascertain the full circumstances of this incident and our priority is to contact the families of those involved and offer all the support we can.” |
| Residents said there were rough seas along the coast on Sunday afternoon. Peter Abell, owner of the Kingsurf surf school at Mawgan Porth, which was not involved in the incident, said some currents were slightly more dangerous than usual but conditions were not as bad as they could be. “The waves were bigger, they were quite big. And it wasn’t the safest of days to be in the sea,” he said. “But it wasn’t particularly dangerous. There were lots of safe places to be and they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.” | |
| Abell said beaches were always changing, adding: “You can never predict this.” Describing the scene as emergency services started to arrive, he said: “I’ve never seen so many police cars and coastguards arrive at the beach before. Everyone was standing around the beach going: ‘Oh my God, what’s going on?’ There were two helicopters and three lifeboats … so we knew it was a big deal as soon as we saw that.” | Abell said beaches were always changing, adding: “You can never predict this.” Describing the scene as emergency services started to arrive, he said: “I’ve never seen so many police cars and coastguards arrive at the beach before. Everyone was standing around the beach going: ‘Oh my God, what’s going on?’ There were two helicopters and three lifeboats … so we knew it was a big deal as soon as we saw that.” |
| A spokesman at Merrymoor Inn, which overlooks the beach, praised the response of emergency services: “[They] were here incredibly quickly. It was out of this world. They brought some of them into the pub wrapped in blankets, but it is terrible what has happened.” | A spokesman at Merrymoor Inn, which overlooks the beach, praised the response of emergency services: “[They] were here incredibly quickly. It was out of this world. They brought some of them into the pub wrapped in blankets, but it is terrible what has happened.” |
| It is not known whether the group included experienced surfers. Inexperienced surfers can place themselves at risk in a rip current if they exhaust themselves swimming against the flow or panic. | It is not known whether the group included experienced surfers. Inexperienced surfers can place themselves at risk in a rip current if they exhaust themselves swimming against the flow or panic. |
| Mawgan Porth is popular with surfers, who flock to the beach for waves known as Atlantic breakers, and with walkers following the idyllic coastal path. | Mawgan Porth is popular with surfers, who flock to the beach for waves known as Atlantic breakers, and with walkers following the idyllic coastal path. |