Sea swimmer noticed ‘clinging to Lowestoft pier’ is rescued

A sea swimmer was rescued by a lifeboat crew after turning into “exhausted” and clinging on to the top of a pier.

Lowestoft Lifeboat mentioned the person was noticed struggling by seashore lifeguards, who alerted the rescue crew at 15:20 BST on Monday.

Second coxswain Karl Jackson mentioned the swimmer instructed how he had been holding on to the South Pier at Lowestoft, Suffolk, for about quarter-hour.

The swimmer was rescued utilizing a lifeboat crane and brought safely to shore, the place he was checked over by paramedics.

Mr Jackson mentioned: “As soon as we got to the pier head we could see him, so I manoeuvred the lifeboat closer, and the crew threw him a line.

“They then pulled him in the direction of the lifeboat and utilizing the restoration davit introduced him on to the deck.

“He was a middle-aged man who had been swimming on his own from the beach and drifted with the tide, not realising the current was taking him or how strong it was.”

The swimmer had suffered a “few scrapes and cuts” however “seemed alright”, Mr Jackson added.

Mike Robbins, who works for the RNLI in Lowestoft, mentioned circumstances within the sea could be “deceiving” and the swimmer had instructed lifeboat employees he wasn’t conscious how briskly the water had been transferring.

“Where he was clinging on to the pier, it was a little bit choppy and he was having to work hard to stay holding the pier,” he mentioned.

He suggested swimmers to solely go in to the water at lifeguarded seashores and to remain near the shore.