 Coastguards warn swimmers not to stray too far alone |
After a weekend which saw boating tragedy in Scotland and number of other drownings, BBC News Online offers some advice on water safety. Preparation, awareness and supervision are paramount, say the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (Rospa), whether people are planning a boat trip or a swim.
Boaters should have the right equipment, including lifejackets, flares, a radio and a mobile phone.
They should also find out about tides and weather conditions before they set out, said Kevin Escott, lifeboat operations manager at the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in Minehead, Somerset.
Lifesaving skills
If a boat does get into trouble, its occupants should not try and swim ashore.
Mr Escott told BBC News Online: "The shore is always further than you think and a boat is a lot easier to spot than someone's head."
For casual bathers, he advises they do not to swim too far out, that they let people know where they are and that they learn lifesaving skills themselves.
The Royal Life Savers Society also advises:
holidaymakers should try to use only beaches which have lifeguards - red and yellow flags will indicate this they should ask about the beach they intend using they should find out what the underlying currents are, whether there are big rocks on the sea bed and whether there are strong offshore winds where necessary, they should wear appropriate safety equipment like a lifejacket they should not go too far alone and they should not rush into the water if they see someone in trouble, but contact the local coastguard, or local police. 
One-Minute World News 
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