Lifeguard numbers could rise
THE parents of a girl left brain damaged after a seaside accident have sent a heartfelt message to the family of a mum and boy who drowned in the sea off Aberdeen.
Andy and Nikki MacLean’s lives changed forever when their daughter Katie-Lou was left severely injured after she and a friend were swept into the sea by 20ft waves.
Onlookers, the coastguard and police risked their lives to rescue the youngsters when waves washed them off steps at the harbour wall in Eyemouth, Berwickshire.
Katie-Lou, 18, sustained severe brain injuries in the 2012 accident and is now quadriplegic and cannot speak.
Andy and Nikki said their hearts sank when they heard news of the tragic deaths of Julie Walker, 37, and her six-year-old son Lucas.
Lucas was swept into the sea during a family day out in Aberdeen last Saturday. Julie and her other son Jordan, 13, went into the water to try to save the youngster.
Jordan was rescued and taken to hospital along with a man and woman who were hurt as they tried to rescue the family.
When asked what message they would give to Julie’s family Andy, 39, said: “We know nothing anyone says right now is of any comfort. We would just say, know that people are thinking of you and care for you.”
Last week Julie’s family thanked members of the public for their help as well as the efforts of the emergency services.
In total 11 people were killed in coastal accidents in Britain last week.
On Friday August 19, a father and his two-year-old daughter were killed in Newquay, Cornwall, after they were swept out to sea. The next day a man in his 50s drowned at Sandbanks while a 57-year-old man died while windsurfing off West Mersea, Essex. THE Royal National Lifeboat Institution has said it hopes to have more lifeguards on Scotland’s beaches in future.
However, the charity said it had no plans to introduce more lifeguards “in the short term”.
The RNLI said it operated in partnership with the owners of a beach, normally a local council, and carried out risk assessments of beaches and presented its findings to the relevant council.
A spokesman said: “The RNLI has carried out risk assessments at the majority of beaches around the Scottish coastline and, although there are no concrete plans at the moment, the charity does expect that in the future we will have more lifeguards on beaches.”
At present, the RNLI operates lifeguards on seven beaches in Scotland, all on the east coast.