Child missing in sea sparks emergency alert

Boy safe after swimming off Exmouth

A child who went missing whilst swimming in the sea off Exmouth on Tuesday has been reunited with his family after being found by a lifeguard.

The 12-year-old boy was thought to be in the water between Orcombe Point and Sandy Bay when the alarm was raised around 4.45 p.m. on Tuesday.

Exmouth RNLI launched the inshore lifeboat after being called by the coastguard. The volunteer crew quickly made their way to the last known position of the boy and commenced a search of the area.

However within half an hour the search was called off after it was established that he had been found safe and well by an RNLI lifeguard at Sandy Bay. The boy was reunited with his mother, was not injured and did not require medical attention.

Helm Guy Munnings said: “Fortunately he was found safe and well by one of our lifeguard colleagues who was on duty at Sandy Bay beach. Children should be supervised at all times and people of all ages should avoid swimming alone. We want people to enjoy the coast but urge everyone to respect the water, think about their own safety and know what to do in an emergency. Myself and my crew were pleased this incident concluded safely.”

Comprehensive RNLI safety advice for families taking their children to the coast can be found at: https://bit.ly/3lRrMjW