Independent lifeboat Ryde Rescue one launched to drifting inflatable Swan off Ryde Beach

The Ryde independent lifeboat Ryde Rescue one was launched at just after 5.40pm on Sunday following a report from the UK Coastguard of an abandoned inflatable white swan toy drifting offshore approx. 500 metres off Ryde Beach toward Portsmouth. The lifeboat arrived ‘on scene’ and the crew located the drifting toy and brought it safely back to shore. No was with the abandoned toy. The Lifeboat recovered back to base in Ryde, just after 6.15pm. The UK Cosatguard issued the following safety message on the back end of what looks like to be a busy start to the summer holidays: ‘Blow-up toys and Airbeds are designed for pools, not the sea where they can easily be swept out. If you do use them at the beach, then ensure children are closely supervised, keep near the shore, only use them between the red and yellow flags, always follow the lifeguard’s advice, do not take them out in big waves and never use them when the red flags are flying, as this indicates offshore winds which will blow inflatables further out to sea.