Brave beachgoers form human chain to save drowning man's life

At Durdle Door beach in Dorset, United Kingdom, a man got into a little bit of trouble in choppy seas last week. Though he was not drowning just yet, beachgoers noticed that he was struggling and waving his hands for attention as the waves grew stronger. The overpowering waves were a result of windy conditions, according to the coastguard on duty. Thankfully, a group of 20 beachgoers formed a human chain and reached out for the swimmer, rescuing him just in time. The man was able to escape unhurt. The coastguard has since issued a warning about entering the sea during bad weather conditions, BBC reports.

Coastguard Matt Leat stated about the incident, "Ultimately the public have helped save that chap's life." Other eyewitnesses have also shared more about the courageous act that saved the swimmer's life. One eyewitness, Emily Foote, recalled, "It became apparent that actually he was in trouble, he started waving his arms. He wasn't panicking, but he just wasn't able to get back to shore. And it was at that point that a lot of people started gathering and sort of forming this chain. Everybody on the beach was clapping at the end, so it just goes to show that it was a whole team effort." "The swimmer managed to surf a wave and somebody managed to grab him," another eyewitness, Jennie Bell, shared. "There was a chain of people stretching to the sea as much as they dared."

The man was able to get out of the choppy sea unhurt. Nonetheless, coastguard Leat issued a warning to other beachgoers. "The sea is unforgiving, so you need to respect it," he stated. "You need to look out for your friends and family, and don't take inflatables to the beach. They may seem like a good idea but very quickly you can be blown off shore and then we're having to deploy lifeboats, helicopters, coastguard rescue teams to rescue people." Just two months ago, in June, a man from London in his 20s drowned while swimming off the beach. Another three individuals suffered serious injuries when they leaped from Durdle Door beach's landmark limestone a month earlier.

Durdle Door beach, located on the Jurassic Coast, was closed to the public in May but authorities found themselves helpless as dozens of tourists ignored pleas from the police and flocked to the beach anyway. The government officially permitted beachgoers to visit the area and stay overnight from July 4. Celebrations of any size are still not permitted and all individuals are expected to socially distance. As of August 25, the United Kingdom still has one of the highest numbers of active coronavirus cases, but residents have resumed to business as usual.

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