Mam of North East teenager swept out to sea backs safety campaign
15-year-old Caitlin Ruddy died in hospital after being hit by a freak wave while on Cullercoats Pier in January. Her mam Sabrina is supporting a new RNLI campaign.
The mam of a Newcastle teenager who died after being swept out to sea has spoken out in a bid to help others stay safe.
Sabrina Cook's 15-year-old daughter Caitlin Ruddy died in January after being hit by a freak wave on Cullercoats Pier.
She was swept out to sea and despite attempts to save her, the teenager passed away in hospital.
Now her family are supporting the RNLI's Respect the Water campaign, which aims to halve accidental coastal deaths.
New figures today show 22 people died in the waters around our coastlines last year, with over 60 people having near-fatal accidents.
Sabrina says: ‘Caitlin’s death has devastated us and nothing can ever bring her back but I am hoping that other people might learn something from what happened to her.
"None of us realised just how powerful and deadly the sea can be, but it took Caitlin from us. I hope people listen to the RNLI’s message and treat water with respect.’
As part of the campain, the RNLI are renewing their warning to the public about the dangers of cold water, slips and falls and rip currents and waves.
Almost half of the people who died at the coast in the last 5 years never planned to enter the water, but were taking part in activities such as coastal walking and running.
Helen Williams, RNLI Community Incident Reduction Manager for the north of England, says:
‘Caitlin’s death was a tragic accident but, as these figures show, many other people are needlessly dying each year at the coast. RNLI lifeboat crews and lifeguards save hundreds of lives but, sadly, not everyone can be saved. We lose an average of 24 lives around the north of England’s coast each year and the real tragedy of the situation is that many of these deaths could have been prevented.
‘Cold water is a real killer. People often don’t realise how cold our seas can be – even in summer months the sea temperature rarely exceeds 12oc, which is low enough to trigger cold water shock. If you enter the water suddenly at that temperature, you’ll start gasping uncontrollably, which can draw water into your lungs and cause drowning. The coldness also numbs you, leaving you helpless – unable to swim or shout for help.
‘The fact that so many of the people who die at the coast each year never planned to enter the water suggests people are also not taking enough care along the coastline itself. We’re warning people to stay away from cliff edges, particularly where there is slippery, unstable or uneven ground; stick to marked paths and keep an eye on the water – watch out for unexpected waves which can catch you out and sweep you into the water.
‘If you’re planning to get into the water be aware that, even if it looks calm on the surface, there can be strong rip currents beneath the surface, which can quickly drag you out to sea. The sea is powerful and can catch out even the strongest and most experienced swimmers.’