A vehicle is feared to have veered off the road and plummeted down a cliff near Freshwater Bay this evening (Easter Sunday).
Emergency services are currently in attendance at Military Road between Freshwater and Compton.
Police have closed the road in both directions whilst investigations take place.
HM Coastguard has 2 Coastguard Rescue Teams from The Needles and Ventnor on scene and Freshwater Independent Lifeboat has also launched.
Flares have been fired into the night sky to illuminate the area in a bid to ascertain whether or not a vehicle has gone over the edge.
UPDATE @ 22:15 – Coastguard Rescue Helicopter 175 from Lee-on-Solent has been tasked to assist the teams and is currently conducting a search between Compton and Freshwater.
Infrared cameras and high-powered lights are being used to check the base of the cliff.
Meanwhile, 2 Coastguard Rescue Officers have been lowered over the cliff edge and volunteers from Freshwater Lifeboat are continuing their sweep of the coast.
UPDATE @ 22:56 – Following a comprehensive search of the area, nothing untoward has been found. As a result, search and rescue teams are now being stood down.
The incident has been declared a false alarm with good intent.
Military Road has been reopened to traffic in both directions, with police units leaving the scene.
Let’s hope everyone involved is ok and thank you to the emergency services for all your hard work
I feel bad for the emergency services putting there lives at risks so often for hoax calls..
True, but in this cae probably not a hoax. If you see tyre-tracks disappear off the road near a cliff edge it’s reasonable to fear the worst. But if there were indeed tyre-tracks, what idiot made them?
Yes, I’ve seen tracks and stopped in the past to go look. Worrying.