In a fascinating development caught on cam, a drone lifeguard saved a 14-year-old boy from drowning in Spain. The incident was reported from a beach in Spain’s Valencia city. The drone lifeguard service put in place showed how capable it is in real-world scenarios after a teenager started sinking beneath the strong and relentless waves.
Earlier this month, a 14-year-old boy found himself struggling again the relentless waves after a powerful tide took him further away from the cost of the Valencia beach. Visuals emerging from the scene showed the drone reaching the spot and dropping a life vest into the sea so that the teenager could stay afloat before the physical lifeguards could arrive and rescue him.
Miguel Angel Pedrero, the pilot of drone which helped the 14-year-old boy, was quoted saying, “When we arrived what we saw was a kid that was in very bad shape, with almost no energy to keep floating, so I sent over the life vest.”
The drones have been assisting the Spanish lifeguard staff in beaches at Valencia since 2017. Valencia-based General Drones now has 30 drones and pilots working in tandem with lifeguards across 22 beaches across Spain. The drones are used for rapid reaction support in potential drowning situation before lifeguards could reach the spot.
The Facts of the Matter
From transporting medical support in challenging terrains, to providing fire-control support in complicated spots where fire-brigade personnel can’t reach, potential of drones is practically limitless. Recently, a drone in Spain ended up saving the life of a 14-year-old boy, who was carried off by a strong tied off the coast of a beach in Valencia city.
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Increasing Importance of Lifeguard Drones
According to the Royal Spanish Lifesaving and Rescue Federation, as many as 140 people have died due to accidental drowning in the country just in the first six months of the year. This is a sharp 55% increase when compared against the same period of 2021. The one life saved thanks to the drone will provide the country with much needed trust to use drones in such crucial situations.
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Teen Gets himself in Trouble
Earlier this month, a 14-year-old boy was fighting against strong tides after he was taken away from the beach in Valencia. Soon, the boy started feeling the exhaustion and was barely keeping himself afloat in the sea.
Drone Saves the Day
Suddenly, a drone whizzed past him and then aligned itself on top of him. The drone then dropped a life vest towards the teen before he could be rescued by real bodyguards that were rushing to him but were still relatively far away.
Watch Video here:
(Valencia, Spain): A pioneering drone lifeguard service, which has been rolled out across beaches in Spain, has been credited for helping rescue a 14-year-old dragged to sea by a strong current.
— GoodNewsCorrespondent (@GoodNewsCorres1) July 25, 2022
“Was in very bad shape”: Drone Pilot
While speaking to Reuters, Miguel Angel Pedrero, the pilot of the lifeguard drone, said, “When we arrived what we saw was a kid that was in very bad shape, with almost no energy to keep floating, so I sent over the life vest.”
“Because of the heavy waves it was a complicated maneuver, but we finally managed to give him the vest and he could float until the lifeguards reached him by jet ski,” he added.
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14-Yr-Old Discharged After 24 Hours
According to the pilot, the extra seconds that the drone bought by throwing the life vest, can be “vital in some cases”. He added that the extra time allows rescue teams to approach the drowning person in a more calm and cautious manner.
Meanwhile, the 14-year-old, who still remains unidentified, was rushed to a local hospital after being rescued. He was provided with oxygen in the ambulance, and was discharged 24 hours later.
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