Major search as person swept into Blackpool sea and rescuers thrown overboard

A major search operation was launched in Blackpool this week following reports of a person being swept 30 metres out to sea.

The HM Coastguard, police and paramedics rushed to the scene close to the Central Pier in the early hours of Friday following reports of a person in difficulty in the water. But during the rescue operations, four members of the rescue team were also injured - including a crew member who was thrown backwards when a "big wave" hit the boat. Three Coastguards entered the water and suffered from water ingestion as well as hypothermia.

The Coastguard said a crew member saw a person "struggling with the waves" around 30 metres out at sea. They added that the person was "at the mercy of the tidal currents" amid windy weather.

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Following an "extremely challenging" mission, the casualty was taken back to shore and transferred to the care of paramedics, the Coastguard said. Pictures from the scene showed a number of emergency services vehicles parked up on the shore including ambulances and Coastguard vehicles, the Manchester Evening News reports.

The injured lifeboat crew member was already being taken care by an ambulance, with the other three Coastguard members suffering from water ingestion, mild hypothermia and exhaustion. One of them was suspected to have suffered a sprained or broken ankle, the Coastguard said. Two of them, as well as the lifeboat crewman, needed to be taken to hospital for further assessment.

"It was windy with significant and strong waves," a statement issued today by the Coastguard said. "We'd had a report of a possible sighting just off Central Pier so the Blackpool ILB launched and we sent rescuers from our team and Lytham down to the surfline to support.

"It was an extremely challenging launch for the boat crew and the boat got hit by several big waves, one of which swamped the boat throwing one of the crew members backwards the full length into the helmsman causing injury and requiring an immediate abort of the operation and a recovery of the ILB."

"One team of Coastguards on the beach continued to search South and another searched North. Within a few minutes the North team issued an immediate call on the radio to state the casualty had been spotted struggling in the waves about 30m out.

"Already equipped with water rescue personal protective equipment one of our coastguard rescue officers entered the water tethered to another to effect an immediate rescue. It was an extremely challenging push to reach the casualty he 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."

The statement continued: "The injured lifeboat crewmember was already receiving care in another ambulance. The three Coastguards who had entered the water were suffering from water ingestion, mild hypothermia, exhaustion and one suspected sprained/broken ankle.

"They were taken into the boathouse to recover and receive assessment from paramedics. It was determined that two would need to go to hospital, as well as the lifeboat crewman, for further assessment."