Lifeboat crew injured during 'challenging' rescue

Four coastguard crew members have been injured after battling windy weather and "significant and strong" waves during an attempt to find someone in the sea.

A person had been spotted "struggling" 30m (98 ft) out to sea close to Central Pier in Blackpool in the early hours of Friday morning.

After the waves struck, one of the crew fell into the helmsman causing injury and the boat had to abort its rescue attempt.

Other coastguard crew members from a different boat were able to rescue the casualty after "an extremely challenging push" and "swallowing a large amount of sea water", HM Coastguard Fleetwood said.

An RNLI Blackpool boat got hit by several big waves, one of which swamped the vessel, it said.

Along with the helmsman, three coastguards who entered the water to carry out the rescue suffered from water ingestion, mild hypothermia, exhaustion and one had an ankle injury.

They are all now at home recovering.

A helicopter was on standby during the major operation as HM Coastguard Fleetwood and Lytham crews continued the search.

HM Coastguard Fleetwood said rescuers entered the water tethered to each other as they rescued the casualty.

It said: "It was an extremely challenging push to reach the casualty.

"[The crew member] had to push and swim through the same waves that had just hindered the inshore lifeboat and chase the casualty, who was at the mercy of the tidal currents.

"Exhausted and having already swallowed a large amount of sea water, with a last push of energy he reached the casualty, took hold and gave the signal to be pulled back to shore."

As the shallows were reached though, rescuers realised they were "struggling to get their footing", so two more crew members had to enter the water to pull them back to safety.

A coastguard spokesman said it was "an extremely challenging and technical rescue" which highlighted what could be achieved by working together and "how far we are all willing to go to perform our duty".

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