A newly developed rescue plane rescued a 14-year-old boy when he struggled from offshore altitudes earlier this month.
about to drown
– When the drone arrived, we saw that the boy was in very bad shape. Drone pilot and lifeguard Miguel Angel Pedriro told Reuters he had almost no energy to stay afloat.
Video from the rescue plane shows the dramatic seconds that unfolded on a beach in Valencia, Spain on July 1 this year.
Watch the video at the top of the case – we draw attention to strong impressions.
Rescued: A life jacket lowered into the boy from a drone may have saved his life. Less than two minutes later, lifeguards arrived and took him on a water bike.
– We lowered him the life jacket, but it was difficult for him to hold on to it because of the rough waves. But he grabbed it, and managed to float on it until the rescue team arrived on the jet ski, Pedriro says.
Lifesaver: Miguel Angel Pedriro is a professional lifeguard and drone pilot. Photo: Reuters
The boy was taken to hospital, but was discharged well after 24 hours.
Precious seconds
We use the drone to win precious seconds when lives are on the line and help is on the way, says Pedriro.
He is one of 30 bodyguards in Spain to have trained as a drone pilot. So far, drones have been deployed along 22 Spanish beaches.
The drone was developed by a Spanish company in 2017, and over the years more and more bodyguards have wanted such drones.
Life jacket: Each drone carries two life jackets that can be lowered for people into the water. Photo: Reuters
Extra seconds can save lives. It can also help rescue teams approach the accident victim with more calm and caution, Pedriro says.
Significant increase in drowning
So far in 2022, 140 drownings have been reported in Spain. This represents a whopping 55 percent increase over the same period in 2021.
Perhaps the increase can be explained in part by the increased influx of tourists into the country after the pandemic.
BEACH LIFE: Gandia Beach south of Valencia is one of the beaches that uses new drone technology. Photo: Reuters
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