Children are taken to hospital after 'mass casualty' sea rescue

TWO children were taken to hospital by ambulance and four others needed treatment after a major rescue was carried out at a popular beach.

- BRYANA FRANCIS & ELLIE GOSLEY

Coastguards were in charge of the rescue operation off Aberavon Beach on Sunday evening.

The rescue teams said the children were in "serious difficulty" in the sea off the slipway. Three were rescued using a throw line, and the others were rescued in the water.

The huge emergency services operation involved police, ambulance and local volunteers.

It saw the casualties rescued from the sea and Coastguard Rescue Officers carried out emergency care before transferring the children to the care of the ambulance service.

Three ambulances were sent to the scene and two of the children were taken to hospital with the other four making their own way there.

A spokesperson from HM Coastguard said: "HM Coastguard was tasked to coordinate the rescue of children in the water at Aberavon Beach yesterday, August 24, at around 8.30pm.

"Port Talbot RNLI Lifeboat, Port Talbot and Porthcawl Coastguard Rescue Teams, Welsh Ambulance Service and South Wales Police were on scene.

"Port Talbot Coastguard Rescue Team rescued the children from the water and provided first aid until the Ambulance arrived."

A statement from Welsh Ambulance read: "We were contacted yesterday (August 24) at approximately 8.33pm, to reports of an incident on Aberavon beach, Port Talbot.

"We sent three emergency ambulances and one operations manager to the scene.

"Two patients were conveyed to hospital for treatment with a further four patients making their own way to hospital."