Heroic teenager beats RNLI crew to rescue men who fell from inflatable boat off Isle of Skye

A 15-year-old boy sprung into action to rescue two men who had fallen from an inflatable toy boat off the Isle of Skye, beating an RNLI crew to the scene.

Archie Law came to the rescue of two men who came into difficulty in the water off Broadford Bay around 9pm on Saturday, June 20.

An alert was received by the Coastguard with the RNLI quickly launching a lifeboat from its Kyle of Lochalsh station.

However, on their way there, the crew were told that Mr Law, who lives locally, had spotted the men in distress and had gone out on his own boat to help them.

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The volunteer crews discovered the teenager had already managed to rescue both men and had taken them back to shore safely.

The helm at Kyle RNLI, Andrew MacDonald, praised Mr Law for his quick response to the incident.

He said: "Thanks to the quick thinking of the teenager going out in his own boat to rescue the two casualties, a far more serious situation was averted."

"We’d like to remind people that blow up inflatable toys should be kept for use in swimming pools and not open water, and to always ensure that you have lifejackets on and a means of communicating to the emergency services if you get into any difficulty".

Speaking about his experience to Radio Skye, Mr Law said he has noticed from inside his house that the men had got into trouble.

He said: "I could see them from my window and they were paddling in circles out in the bay, drifting further away.

"I made a decision to go and check if they were OK. As I got closer I could see it was a small kids’ dinghy.

"They seemed very cold and tired and thankful I had spotted them. I got them back to the wee pier and they were met with towels and warm clothes."

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It comes as an amber extreme heat warning has been issued for parts of the UK next week by the Met Office, as a new heatwave could see temperatures climb up to 34C.

The warning was posted for Monday and Tuesday for London, the east and south-east of England, and parts of the south-west of England and Wales.

It means there are potential health impacts for people vulnerable to extreme heat and heat-related issues for the wider population, and a possible increase in water safety incidents, the forecaster said.

The warning, which differs from amber heat health alerts issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), comes as another heatwave is expected to sweep parts of the UK during the weekend and early next week.

Samantha Hughes, the national water safety partner at the RNLI, said: "With warmer weather approaching, it’s important to remember that the water is still cold.

"Entering it unexpectedly can lead to cold water shock, causing a sudden increase in breathing and heart rate, which may trigger panic.

"If you find yourself struggling in the water, remember to Float to Live: tilt your head back so your ears are submerged, relax and control your breathing.

"You may need to gently use your hands to help you stay afloat, and it’s ok if your legs sink – everyone floats differently."

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