Coastguards drove a 4×4 across the beach to reach an injured casualty near Bay Campus on Friday evening — sparing them an hour-long walk in the extreme heat.
Port Talbot Coastguard was tasked to a medical evacuation at the River Neath at 8.24pm, at the end of one of the hottest days of the year.
After pinpointing the casualty’s location, the team found they were on the opposite side of the river — and that reaching them on foot would have meant an hour’s walk over difficult ground in the heat.
Instead, the rescue officers used their vehicle’s 4×4 capabilities, carefully navigating through Swansea University’s Bay Campus and out onto the sand.
The casualty had suffered a deep foot injury, and the team provided immediate casualty care on arrival.
The officers then made several trips to bring the casualty and their family safely off the beach and back to Bay Campus — avoiding what the team described as a lengthy and demanding walk in the conditions.
At the base of the dunes, the casualty was transferred into a basket stretcher and carefully carried over the steep dune system to a place of safety.
The family then made their own way to hospital for further assessment and treatment, with the team wishing the casualty “a full and speedy recovery”.
The team said the incident highlighted its “versatility, teamwork and professionalism” — combining casualty care with expert 4×4 driving to overcome difficult terrain, soft sand and extreme temperatures.
The callout came as the summer’s third heatwave peaked — with south Wales forecast to be the hottest part of the UK right through the weekend, out-baking Ibiza, Istanbul and the Maldives.
Emergency services have urged extra care on the coast in the hot spell, with busy beaches, strong coastal gusts and high UV all forecast across the weekend.
In a coastal emergency, call 999 and ask for the coastguard. Advice on staying safe on or around the coast is available from HM Coastguard.
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