UMVA has learned that a dramatic rescue took place off the coast of Rhyl in North Wales, where a volunteer lifeboat crew saved a person trapped in quicksand as the tide rapidly rose.
The casualty was freed from the quagmire after being put in a lifejacket and instructed to lean back, which managed to dislodge one of their stuck legs. The person was then recovered into the lifeboat and brought back to the lifeboat station for a check over and a cup of tea.
Dougie Lonsdale, who led the rescue, said: ‘Conditions on the coast can change in seconds, with tides and quicksand being serious and often invisible hazards. In this instance, the casualty did everything correctly by calling 999 and asking for the Coastguard and staying calm.’
Quicksand is a mixture of sand, water, and sometimes clay that behaves like a liquid when it’s disturbed. When water gets trapped between solid sand particles, it reduces friction, making it difficult to support weight. To the human eye, it appears as regular sand, but when pressed, the moving sand creates suction, making it hard to pull yourself out quickly.
The real dangers of quicksand are not the quicksand itself, but rather panic, exhaustion while trying to get out, drowning if it’s near water and the tide comes in, and hypothermia if stuck for a long time. However, the chances of being killed by quicksand in the UK are extremely low, and people are far more likely to be struck by lightning or injured in daily life.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that the recent heatwave has seen a surge in open-water deaths, with the number of fatalities rising to 17. A 16-year-old girl, Lillianna Tomlinson, was recovered following a roughly hour-long search along the River Tame near Warwickshire’s Kingsbury Water Park on May 25.
Her family expressed their deep sadness, saying: ‘We’re deeply saddened to be writing that Lillianna’s life has been taken in the most tragic way. Our family is completely devastated and will be forever heartbroken.’
The RNLI has published guidance on how to improve your chances of survival in the water, emphasizing the importance of floating. According to the RNLI, floating has helped save the lives of more than 50 people in various situations.
The RNLI advises that the best way to float is to tilt your head back with your ears submerged, relax, and breathe normally. You can gently move your hands and legs to help you stay afloat if needed, and practice floating in a supervised location like a swimming pool.
