On International Lifeguard Appreciation Day, a man rescued from a rip current at Whiterocks Beach in Portrush has expressed his gratitude to the RNLI team that saved his family.

Andrew Todd was swimming with his daughter Issy, then 18, and son Zack, 13, during the summer of 2022. The group stayed within the flagged safe zone, but near the end of their time in the water they passed beyond the markers and into a deeper area.

While Issy made some headway back to shore, Zack was unable to fight the current. Andrew remained with him, providing encouragement. When Issy stopped to call to them, the flow pulled her backward.

Ellen Knox, a lifeguard on duty, noticed the three quickly drifting in a flash rip current. She entered the water on a rescue board. Adam King and Luke McAvoy, who had finished another rescue minutes earlier, launched a rescue watercraft and navigated rough surf to reach them.

Andrew Todd said he held Zack close and stopped swimming to stay together and save energy, while calling to Issy to keep her calm. The watercraft collected father and son and returned them to the beach.

Afterward, he told his children that such incidents were accidental and nobody was to blame. The family swam again the following day to avoid developing lasting fear of the sea. He described the lifeguards as acting with speed and assurance.

The RNLI provides seasonal lifeguard coverage on 12 Northern Ireland beaches. Its figures for the previous year show 65,714 preventive actions and 402 rescues, including seven lives saved.

Michael Thompson, the RNLI’s lifeguard lead for Northern Ireland, said the appreciation day highlights the commitment and lifesaving contribution of the teams. He added that their daily work ranges from rescues and medical care to reuniting lost children and offering safety advice.