COASTGUARD NEWS - SOUTHERN                  

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Southern 156/01
11 December 2001

MISSING STUDENT CLIMBERS FOUND

Portland Coastguard was contacted by the Dorset police after locating a car at the top of cliffs belonging to two teenage climbers that had been reported missing.

The parents of one of the young men contacted Dorset Police just before midnight saying the pair had set off at 11:00 a.m. that morning (Monday) to cliff climb in the Swanage area.

Portland Coastguard scrambled the Coastguard rescue helicopter from Lee on Solent, tasked the Swanage Coastguard Rescue Team, and requested the launch of the Swanage RNLI inshore and all weather lifeboats.

The Coastguard Rescue Team spotted a light at the base of the 120-foot climb, 'Marmolata Buttress', near Anvil Point in Swanage. With the Coastguard helicopter illuminating the area, the Coastguard Rescue Team directed the lifeboats to the scene and the two men were taken on board the inshore lifeboat and then transferred to the all weather before being taken to the Swanage Hospital for a check over at around 2:00 a.m. (Tuesday).

Portland Coastguard Watch Manager, Ros Evans commented: "The two men were extremely cold when we found them, they had climbed down but could not get back up. They could not get a signal on their mobile phone so had to sit and wait until someone reported them missing and help arrived.

"All we had to go on was the fact they had bought a book of climbs in Swanage, which covers a vast area. We advise anyone going on a climb to leave specific details behind including an expected time of return."