17/06/2026
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Every year, people lose their lives in the seas around the UK — and many of these tragedies involve rip currents.
A rip current is a strong, fast flow of water pulling away from the shore. They can be powerful enough to drag even confident swimmers into deeper water, and they’re often hard to spot from the beach.
🌊 If you’re caught in a rip current:
⚠️ Call loudly for help
⚠️ Hold on to anything that floats (inflatable, bodyboard, surfboard)
⚠️ DO NOT swim against the current — you won’t win
⚠️ Swim parallel to the shore to move out of the current
⚠️ Once free of the pull, swim back towards land
⚠️ If you can stand, wade rather than swim to steady yourself
🛟 Beach safety tips:
⚠️ Choose a lifeguarded beach
⚠️ Always swim between the red and yellow flags
⚠️ If the windsock shows strong offshore wind, keep inflatables out of the sea
⚠️ If someone else is in trouble, alert lifeguards or call 999 and ask for the Coastguard
You can learn more about water safety and Drowning Prevention Week through the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK).