HM Coastguard tasked 2 Coastguard Rescue Teams and an inshore lifeboat to 3 walkers who were attempting to complete the St Helens Fort Walk earlier this evening (Saturday).
Bembridge RNLI’s Inshore Lifeboat launched to locate the 3 casualties, who were attempting the St Helens Fort Walk, as it was thought they might get cut off by the incoming tide. This is despite emergency services pleading with Islanders to give the annual happening a miss this year.
Bembridge RNLI’s D-class Inshore Lifeboat (ILB) was launched at around 20:45. The ILB quickly located the walkers who were on the shingle walkway on their way back to dry land.
Bembridge Coastguard Rescue Team and Ventnor Coastguard Team met the casualties and gave strong words of advice.
The ILB was recovered at 21:15.
When will people ever listen idiots.
They were not cut of by the tied. They were not in danger. They knew what they were doing. They walked back!
Are you an idiot because you ‘could’ have a car accident?
People were warned not to do the walk. What part of that did they not understand or did they think they knew better? Obviously not as they were given strong advice by the coastguard.
And it’s tide.
People were told not to but once again they do not listen. Your the idiot for sticking up for people with no brains.by the way nobody told me not to drive so what’s that got to do with it.
They were told not to go because of covid. NOT because it was in any way dangerous. If you’re able to read, look at the title. “MIGHT”
Are we to now stop people from walking to the shops because they MIGHT fall over? This was a clear abuse of power using the RNLI to ‘make a point’.
Just think how much that cost the R N L I in resources some people just don’t listen total idiots they were told it was not safe yet they still do it
Those who are overly ‘concerned’ about costings to the emergency services, should remember that much of those costs are ‘there anyway’, as even whilst the wonderful free volunteer crews are awaiting a mariner in distress, all the cost of the crafts etc are still accruing. It is only a little cheap red diesel used which is minimal in expense compared to a potentially saved life or lives.
So it is not as costly as one may fear. Also it is good training for these brave fellows rather than a pre orchestrated fake ‘rescue.’
And this event brings much needed cash to our local businesses as hungry walkers, if not drowned, will come into Bembridge for delicious crispy Fish and chips or go to other eating establishments, providing our village with much needed capital after such an awful start to our year of limited business.
So it is not all as bad as one may be led to believe from the comments on here.
Try to think and see things a little less negatively in the year of the rat, for doing so, does no good to anyone.
No one was hurt, so let’s just be thankful for that.
Do you have English O level?
Idiots should be charged for emergency services time
I would have let them drown
Did you read the story? They were NOT in trouble and walked back on their own. The story clearly says they MIGHT get cut off.
Stupid is as stupid does .
Charge the idiots for use of the lifeboats
“Bembridge Coastguard Rescue Team and Ventnor Coastguard Team met the casualties on dry land and were given strong words of advice.”
A smack round the ear might have been more appropriate.
Together with a good hard kick up their backsides. The rescue teams should not have to waste their time with idiots like these. While they were otherwise occupied a real emergency could have occurred.
How about charging these idiots for the fuel for the lifeboat, or encouraging them to donate a sum of money to Bembridge RNLI.
If everyone else managed to obey instructions to miss the fort walk this year, why should they get off with just some strong words of advice…
People were asked to stay away and not attempt the fort walk. I guess there some people in this world who just don’t listen because they are completely selfish, ignorant and arrogant.
The members of volunteer services such as these give their time freely and willingly, sometimes risking their own lives, to assist people who have got into difficulty because of misfortune.
Stupidity and misfortune should not be confused with each other. The former should be charged for accordingly.
As the walkers never called the Lifeboat, and were safely on dry shingle, surely they cannot be blamed for ‘others’ panicking and calling the emergency services?
Seems to smack more of “We told you not to attempt the walk, and NOW look at all the cost and fuss,” proving what they, the authorities wanted by trying to show they were right all along, when in this case they weren’t.
I would have a different view had ‘they’ the walkers, had called the emergency services, but they didn’t.
Show a little compassion.
spot on, I wrote more or less the same before reading your comment.
They were just lucky. It could have been much worse.
Let’s start naming and shaming these idiots , then we can all see what stupid and selfish looks like.
Just shows the average intelligence of people on the Isle of Wight
From that remark you are not from the Island ? There is no need to insult .
Why on earth refer to them as ‘casualties’? Was it to make their figures better?
First of many to try and attempt it i’m sure, will there be people down there on the low tides stopping people from attempting it? I very much doubt it. They went against ‘advice’ (not the only people in recent months) not to attempt it this year because distancing cannot be maintained with the expected throng, as far as i can tell from the report there were no crowds, they made it to the fort, or maybe saw sense and were on their way back. As already commented, someone else made the call ‘thinking they MAY get cut off by the tide’, so, and this will be controversial, instead of shouting charge the walkers for wasting resources, maybe charge the caller for sending them out to where they’re not required, like other services do. Many people are advised not to do something and find a way to do it where the expected ‘risk’ is minimized, we’ve all done it.
“The ILB quickly located the walkers who were on the shingle walkway on their way back to dry land.” They were in no danger!
A non event. They are trying to ban this event so that later they can bring it back and charge you!
Richard, they just want to ban it full stop. They can’t have people having a bit of fun. No crowds, not on the day it was supposed to happen, so no problem. Look forward to next years happening.
Yes, you’ve got one thing correct, NO CROWDS. Have you heard of COVID19, large gatherings are banned just incase you were unaware…… At least nobody needed the rescue services thank goodness, but perhaps EVERYONE should listen to instructions next time and not totally ignore the advice and do whatever the hell they wanted!
That is true, and they should have been talked to on that basis. The story should have been how the police spoke to them about ignoring advice on gathering there. But instead someone chose to use the RNLI like this to ‘make a point’ is underhand and sneaky.
Your right as usaal
It is also Rubbish, to say it cost a lot to rescue, in this case, no-one. The craft and the lifeboat station is ‘there’ anyway, and the spoonful of red diesel is cheap, and the brave crew are free volunteers.
See it as valuable practise, rather than having a ‘mock’ rescue exercise
Just sad whingers on here, who waste their lives watching a screen instead of going out in the real world a living a bit.
A rabbit in a hutch is safe, but would be ‘gone’ should the door be left open.
The irony about your statement is that you’ve been wasting time watching your screen posting on here.
Quote
“Bembridge RNLI’s Inshore Lifeboat launched to locate the 3 casualties, who were attempting the St Helens Fort Walk, as it was thought they might get cut off by the incoming tide.”
So they were not in difficulty then, someone at RNLI ‘thought’ the people MIGHT be at risk.
They Launched a lifeboat two rescue teams to LOCATE the people (I doubt that would have taken much effort)
The CASUALTIES, what casualties ? they were on their way back.
It don’t half sound like a propaganda exercise.
Next week, police rush to check on a man walking to the shops because he MIGHT fall over.
Couldn’t they just swim back?
They could, or float or drown…their choice should have pin badges saying” do not rescue I am a complete twunk leave me to my own devices” problem solved dnt you think?
Could have done but I guess they thought it was better to WALK BACK as they were in NO danger (apart from spreading covid)
Strong words. I would have given them a bill what utter idiots, name and shame would also be appropriate!