Concerns for a group of people spotted carrying out their own Fort Walk with darkness descending led to an emergency response from HM Coastguard this evening (Thursday).
Bembridge Coastguard Rescue Team and Ventnor Coastguard Rescue Team were tasked to St Helens Duver shortly before 21:00 following reports that a number of individuals were on the causeway to St Helens Fort in rapidly fading light.
Thankfully, the 4 adults and 2 children made it safely back to shore where they were met by Coastguard Officers and given words of advice.
It comes just 12 hours after a family of 8 were rescued whilst returning from the fort – later than the tide allowed. They were picked up by a RIB ahead of the arrival of Bembridge RNLI inshore lifeboat.
On Wednesday night around 50 people completed the walk. Usually the annual event sees in excess of 4,000 people undertaking the hour-long round trip.
If you or someone else is in difficulty on the coast or at sea, or if you spot what you think may be unexploded ordnance, then dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard. Further safety information can be found at https://coastguardsafety.campaign.gov.uk/.
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DFLs springs to mind !!!!!
Could have been some of those pesky UFFs up from France again. Keep away from our garlic farm!
You just can’t educate or advise ‘stupid’ people
You know that
What is wrong with Aimee people doing the walk in the dark it’s not as if you are walking in flat ground one trip and you could be in trouble come on people use your brains before we have a fatality
Brains?
Stupid is as stupid does! Smh
So just to be clear it was a call out with good intentions and no one was in any trouble and no one needed rescuing.
Fort Walks are complete all year round with no hullabaloo from the press or authorities but it does appear that someone is camp out just waiting for anyone to dare to attempt the crossing so they can call it in at the moment.
And these people didn’t need any assistance and returned safely, seems like they knew what they were doing.
But, if advised that something isn’t safe and to not do it, why would you risk the safety of your children? Take the risk yourself, you’re an adult and can make your own, informed, decisions but leave the children behind, surely!
mmm, so, 4 comments missing. I wonder why that is? Bad language? No, wasn’t that. Threats? No not that either. Downvotes in the extreme? No. In fact I’ve seen comemnts, including some of mine, that had a lot of upvotes in short space of time, but later those comments were gone. No proper explanation given as to why. I am rapidly forming my own opinion as to why.