lifeguard

Lifeguard drone saves the life of a 14-year-old boy who almost drowned in Valencia, Spain.

 The boy while battling strong waves on the beach, the drone dropped a jacket, which helped the boy stay afloat until a real rescue team arrived on the scene.

“When we arrived what we saw was a kid that was in very bad shape, with almost no energy to keep floating, so we sent over the life vest,” the drone pilot for General Drones, Miguel Angel Pedrero, told Reuters.

“Because of the heavy waves it was a complicated manoeuvre, but we finally managed to give him the vest and he could float until the lifeguards reached him by jet ski.”

“These extra seconds are vital in some cases and also allows the rescue teams to approach the person more calmly and cautiously.” Pedrero added.

The 14-year-old has not yet been identified. The rescued boy was given oxygen in the ambulance and taken to the nearest hospital. He was sent home after 24 hours.

According to the Royal Spanish Lifeguard Federation, 140 people drowned in the first six months of this year alone. This is 55% more than in the same period last year.