A swimmer was rescued from strong surging waves at Portrush West Strand on Tuesday evening after getting caught in a rip current.

RNLI lifeguards Annie Jagoe and Jack Devenney responded after a member of the public raised the alarm at 5pm. Jagoe reached the casualty on a rescue board and helped her onto it, while Devenney assisted using a rescue watercraft. The pair brought the woman to shore on the watercraft sled.

Both lifeguards provided casualty care before the Coastguard and an ambulance arrived at the scene.

Lifeguard Jack Devenney warned that rip currents are difficult to spot and that swimming against them can lead to exhaustion regardless of experience. He advised anyone caught in a rip to swim parallel to the shore until free, and to raise a hand and shout for help. For swimmers who are not strong, Devenney recommended the Float to Live technique: tilt the head back with ears submerged, relax, breathe normally, spread arms and legs to improve stability, and allow the legs to sink if that happens naturally.