The RNLI has released footage of an incident off Cullercoats Bay, North Tyneside, around 12.30pm on Tuesday (24 June 2025), when a group of 32 children and adults encountered difficulty in the water.
The group, which had been kayaking and paddleboarding, encountered offshore winds that created challenging conditions.
Bodycam footage released by the RNLI shows the moment 18 of the group — 13 children and five adults — were rescued from the sea. Everyone involved was rescued safely, although one of the children was taken to hospital as a precaution.
Sam Clow, coxswain at Tynemouth RNLI, says: “The tasking we got was to 32 children and adults who had been caught unawares by the wind and were being blown offshore. We worked together with Cullercoats RNLI, who arrived at the scene before us, RNLI lifeguards and others, and brought them all back safely.
“Every child we got to had an adult with them and, when we debriefed with them afterwards, we heard that they had done everything correctly when they became aware of the difficulties they were in.”
The remaining people managed to reach shore without requiring direct assistance from the lifeboats.
“It was an intense situation with force five winds blowing outside the harbour creating lots of wind chop,” says lifeguard George Legg. “The lifeboat arrived and gradually took casualties away whilst we stayed out and made sure there were no threats and everyone was stable.”
Senior lifeguard Alfie Meeson adds: “The situation unfolded so quickly and just goes to show how quickly things can change at the beach. I’m glad we were able work efficiently with the other emergency services to get a positive outcome for the casualties and I am really proud of the team.”
There has been a stark rise in the number of rescues involving paddlesports.
RNLI lifeboats launched to paddlesport incidents three times a day in August 2024, and the number of paddleboarders being rescued has increased sixfold over five years.
Since its foundation in 1824, RNLI crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.
The RNLI has issued advice for individuals planning to go paddleboarding. Recommendations include wearing a buoyancy aid, informing someone of your intended location, carrying a mobile phone, checking weather conditions, including tidal currents, knowing personal limits and following the Float to Live guidance: if unexpectedly in the water without your board, lie on your back to float.
The RNLI is a charity providing 24-hour search and rescue services around the coasts of the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. It operates 238 lifeboat stations and over 240 lifeguard units across the UK and Channel Islands.
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