At just after 8.00 p.m. this evening Swansea Coastguard
received an emergency call from a member of the public reporting 4 people seemingly
at risk in two toy inflatables, some 200 yards off the cliff at Hele Bay near
Ilfracombe. Two people were in one dinghy with one dinghy containing the remaining
two close to the rocks. The weather at the time was south westerly winds force
4 -5 and with a heavy swell with moderate to rough seas and moderate visibility
with rain showers.
Ilfracombe Coastguard Rescue Team were immediately sent
to the scene and the Ilfracombe inshore lifeboat was requested to launch. In
the meantime the first dinghy came ashore and the second was swept out of sight
and towards the inaccessible Haggington beach.
The inshore lifeboat then arrived and one crew member
was put ashore who made contact with the male occupants of the first dinghy
who said they didn’t require any medical assistance, but were wet and
cold. The crew member reported back that the two people had been drinking and
an ambulance was called in case of possible hypothermia. The Police were also
called to the scene.
The inshore lifeboat then chased the second dinghy around
the cliff face and found the two occupants on Haggington Beach, but due to the
terrain and heavy swell found they were unable to get inshore to pick them up.
A second Coastguard Rescue Team from Morthoe with full
cliff gear was then sent to the area and in fading light and rain assisted the
Ilfracombe team in bringing each person up the cliff. Paramedics were also at
the cliff top ready to assist if necessary.
Graham Warlow, Watch Officer at Swansea Coastguard said:
“When both people were lifted to the top of the
cliff it was found they had been heavily drinking. They were just in t shirts
and shorts and had no buoyancy aids. If this sharp eyed member of the public
had not spotted them then they may have been swept away in the mounting gloom
and fading light to whatever fate may have been in store for them in the cold
and lonely sea.
“There is a very simple message from the Coastguard
this summer – don’t drink and drown.”
RNLI SEA SAFETY
RNLI BEACH SAFETY
