An operation is underway to rescue a couple who have become stranded after being cut off by the tide between Whitecliff Bay and Forelands in Bembridge this afternoon (Friday).
The couple become cut off by the tide shortly before 12:45 as they walked between the popular holiday park and Forelands.
2 of the Island’s Coastguard Rescue Teams – from Bembridge and Ventnor – are in attendance at the scene.
The All Weather Lifeboat from Bembridge has been launched with 2 volunteer crew members making the journey ashore in the Y-boat to reach the casualties.
Deliberations are underway to ascertain the best and safest way of recovering the casualties to safety as sea conditions are far from favourable for an evacuation by lifeboat. A rescue by air is being considered.
A dog – which was separately being walked on the cliff top – has made its way down the cliff towards the casualties, now also getting stranded on the pebbly beach.
This is the 3rd such Coastguard incident in this area in the past 2 months after a dog got stuck in the mud in January and a dog walker became stuck last Thursday (2nd March).
UPDATE @14:45 – Both casualties have been successfully winched into the Coastguard helicopter, which was called in to assist in the efforts to rescue those involved.
A winchman was cautiously lowered onto the beach before the man and woman were then winched separately onto the aircraft.
The pair have now been transferred the short distance to Bembridge Airport where Coastguard Rescue Officers have met the helicopter whilst awaiting the arrival of an ambulance.
It’s understood the woman injured her ankle whilst walking and quickly became cut off, with her partner managing to reach her to provide assistance before realising he too had become cut off.
The dog which ended up in the middle of the situation has been reunited with its owner after being taken by lifeboat to Lane End.
Easy, just download the tide times app. Idiots.
Probably grockles who are seeing the sea for the first time and are oblivious to what tides are.
What is it with some of the contributors to this comment forum? People are brainless idiots or pathetic brainless idiots or, even worse, elderly because they made a simple mistake. What your lives and minds must be like. Sad.
Pathetic, can easily walked up the cliff.
What about the dog?
Dud you miss the bit about “injured ankle”? Probably didn’t see it on your high pedestal perch?!
Pah, in the war, p.o.w’s walked miles in the Jungle with legs missing, maggots in the other and starved too.
Read the article – dog’s okay. Apparently the lady had injured her ankle, makeing cliff ascent rather challenging, what? Have some empathy.
Couldn’t they just wait for the tide to turn?
know the area well they would have had to wait about 2 and a half hours before they could hobble back then double that in A E know where id rather be
d****. check tide times. brainless, obvs
Stupid idiots ,have’nt they heard of a tide times table,should be made to pay for all the services that had to attend
Obviously accidents happen, but you do wonder about some elderly people that think they’re fitter than they actually are. I hope they were wearing appropriate footwear etc…
Pathetic waste of manpower