Dorset swimmer missing after major search off Durdle Door

sailorman

sailorman

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 May 2003
Messages
79,010
Location
temp ashore, i expect to be back🤞
Visit site
Not looking too good for a happy outcome but fingers X
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-24648068

A man seen struggling in waters off the Dorset coast has yet to be found despite a major search by emergency services.

The swimmer was said to be "in difficulty" in the sea just west of Durdle Door at about 16:00 BST but the search was suspended in failing light.

Portland Coastguard watch manager Ros Evans said it looked increasingly like a "tragic accident".

Rescue teams are set to carry out a shoreline search on Thursday.

Portland Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre received calls from members of the public in the afternoon, reporting that three people were in the water, and that one was having trouble.

At one point two people on the beach went out to help him without success.

The two RNLI lifeboats based at Weymouth, the police helicopter and the Wyke and Lulworth Coastguard rescue teams were sent to the area.

They were later joined by the Coastguard Rescue helicopter, a Royal Navy helicopter, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, South West Ambulance, and Dorset Police.

Ms Evans said: "Everyone involved did everything they could to rescue this person but unfortunately this is increasingly looking like a tragic accident."
 
Sadly, it does seem to be a Dorset incident at the very least. There's a photo in the Dorset Echo of the coastguard helicopter searching in the fading light near Durdle Door.

You will see from the BBC report that the coastguard helicopter joined the search 'later'. This was because it was already out on a call. This delay can only get more common when they close the Portland helicopter base leaving a single helicopter to cover the Solent and Portland areas.
 
sailorman said:
Not looking too good for a happy outcome but fingers X
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-24648068

A man seen struggling in waters off the Dorset coast has yet to be found despite a major search by emergency services.

The swimmer was said to be "in difficulty" in the sea just west of Durdle Door at about 16:00 BST but the search was suspended in failing light.

Portland Coastguard watch manager Ros Evans said it looked increasingly like a "tragic accident".

Rescue teams are set to carry out a shoreline search on Thursday.

Portland Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre received calls from members of the public in the afternoon, reporting that three people were in the water, and that one was having trouble.

At one point two people on the beach went out to help him without success.

The two RNLI lifeboats based at Weymouth, the police helicopter and the Wyke and Lulworth Coastguard rescue teams were sent to the area.

They were later joined by the Coastguard Rescue helicopter, a Royal Navy helicopter, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, South West Ambulance, and Dorset Police.

Ms Evans said: "Everyone involved did everything they could to rescue this person but unfortunately this is increasingly looking like a tragic accident."
Click to expand...

apparently a body has been found off Durdle Door according to BBC
 
Ghastly, it's like a killing spree. What's going on? I understood the lad in Sussex last week was surprised by a big wave during the storm while walking on the beach, but why are people deliberately going swimming when it's either too rough or too cold for them?
 
Last edited:
The attempts to save the woman in Tilly Whim cave has just been on BBC South; the lifeboats - plural - simply couldn't get near the rocks & cave in the rough seas.

A Coastguard specialist climber very bravely went down from the clifftop through a tiny blow-hole and reached her but she was already dead; the man she'd been with was pulled from the sea unharmed.

As DanCrane says, it's hard to understand how people could get into such a position, the conditions were plainly terrible on the video.

In summer there are usually are a few deaths or broken necks through ' tombstoning ' idiots jumping off cliffs, but apparently these people were strolling around, not sure how they even got to sea level, swimming would be unthinkable; wouldn't it ?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top