COASTGUARD NEWS - SOUTHERN                  

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Southern 078/01
19 February 2001

STUDENTS PLUCKED FROM CLIFF FACE AFTER ALARM

Falmouth Coastguard received a 999 call from a mobile phone at 16:00 on 17 February 2001, which alerted them to the safety of two students in their early 20's who were stuck on cliffs at Wembury beach, south Devon. The call was routed to and then passed to Brixham Coastguard.

The two men, one a student at Plymouth University, and the other from Birmingham, had been out for a walk along the beach when, after misjudging the tide times, and had to take to the cliffs to escape the rising sea water.

One of the two men managed to raise the alarm on his mobile phone whilst clinging precariously to the 50-metre cliff and the Coastguard immediately scrambled a helicopter from the Royal Naval Air Station at Culdrose and sent the Coastguard Plymouth Cliff Rescue Team to the area.

Both rescue units arrived at about the same time and after being located on the cliff face the two students were winched into the helicopter, after it was judged the quickest way to get them to safety. Neither of the two men required hospital treatment and no injuries were reported.

Dave Scullion, Brixham Coastguard Watch Manager said, " Fortunately, despite their precarious position on this terrain, neither of these two men were hurt today. Our message is always to take care when near cliffs, and of course before setting out on any coastal walk, always check with the Coastguard for that day's tide times, as the sea can sweep in at a very fast rate.

" It just isn't worth trying to climb the cliffs without all the suitable equipment and experience as one tiny slip could cost you your life."