This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jun/07/schoolchildren-rescued-from-kent-beach-after-using-phones-as-beacons
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Teenagers rescued from Kent beach after using phones as beacons | Teenagers rescued from Kent beach after using phones as beacons |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| More than 30 teenagers trapped by the rising tide on a treacherous rocky shore when a coastal walk went dangerously wrong had to be rescued by helicopter and lifeboats after using their mobile phone torches as distress beacons. | More than 30 teenagers trapped by the rising tide on a treacherous rocky shore when a coastal walk went dangerously wrong had to be rescued by helicopter and lifeboats after using their mobile phone torches as distress beacons. |
| Thirty-four teenagers and two adults, believed to be from London, got into trouble after descending to the rocky shoreline from the coastal path between St Margaret’s Bay and Dover harbour on Monday night, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said. | Thirty-four teenagers and two adults, believed to be from London, got into trouble after descending to the rocky shoreline from the coastal path between St Margaret’s Bay and Dover harbour on Monday night, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said. |
| They raised the alarm with Kent police shortly after 9pm, and were told to switch on their mobile phone torches as an air and sea rescue was launched. | They raised the alarm with Kent police shortly after 9pm, and were told to switch on their mobile phone torches as an air and sea rescue was launched. |
| It is thought the hiking group had descended from the cliff path intending to take a shortcut back. When rescuers found them, they had split up into groups along the shore, which was strewn with large rocky boulders, as the tide came in and darkness fell. | It is thought the hiking group had descended from the cliff path intending to take a shortcut back. When rescuers found them, they had split up into groups along the shore, which was strewn with large rocky boulders, as the tide came in and darkness fell. |
| Rescuers found the group had separated and five people were unaccounted for. As 31 were taken to safety by lifeboat, crews searched for the missing teenagers, who were found after shouting to rescuers from the rocks and were winched to safety by helicopter. All were accounted for by 11pm. None required hospital treatment. | Rescuers found the group had separated and five people were unaccounted for. As 31 were taken to safety by lifeboat, crews searched for the missing teenagers, who were found after shouting to rescuers from the rocks and were winched to safety by helicopter. All were accounted for by 11pm. None required hospital treatment. |
| Mark Finnis, Dover RNLI coxswain, said the whole group had been in great danger. “From what I can make out, they walked along the top of the cliff to St Margaret’s Bay from Dover. Once they got to St Margaret’s Bay, I’m understanding, they thought they would take a short cut back long the rocky shoreline. | Mark Finnis, Dover RNLI coxswain, said the whole group had been in great danger. “From what I can make out, they walked along the top of the cliff to St Margaret’s Bay from Dover. Once they got to St Margaret’s Bay, I’m understanding, they thought they would take a short cut back long the rocky shoreline. |
| “It is very inhospitable. We are not talking about little rocks, There are some pretty hefty boulders down there. They weren’t dressed for it at all, didn’t have the correct footwear,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. | “It is very inhospitable. We are not talking about little rocks, There are some pretty hefty boulders down there. They weren’t dressed for it at all, didn’t have the correct footwear,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. |
| “Less than two hours later, they would have been swimming, because the tide is rising all the time. They were cut off by the tide. There is no footpath in this particular stretch of shoreline. It is purely a rocky walk.” | “Less than two hours later, they would have been swimming, because the tide is rising all the time. They were cut off by the tide. There is no footpath in this particular stretch of shoreline. It is purely a rocky walk.” |
| He added it seemed the group were trying to reach an access from the beach to the cliff path that was no longer there. “It was always deemed a dangerous access, and it was probably taken away because of it.” | He added it seemed the group were trying to reach an access from the beach to the cliff path that was no longer there. “It was always deemed a dangerous access, and it was probably taken away because of it.” |
| He added the group were in “high spirits” and had not seemed to appreciate the danger they were in, which was spelled out to them when they got back to Dover. | He added the group were in “high spirits” and had not seemed to appreciate the danger they were in, which was spelled out to them when they got back to Dover. |
| The RNLI said the group had walked past nine warning signs warning them not to continue. | |
| The coastguard launched an air and sea search involving a helicopter based at Lydd, Dover RNLI lifeboat, two Walmer RNLI lifeboats and Langdon coastguard rescue team. | The coastguard launched an air and sea search involving a helicopter based at Lydd, Dover RNLI lifeboat, two Walmer RNLI lifeboats and Langdon coastguard rescue team. |
| Richard Cockerill, UK Coastguard senior maritime operations officer, said: “The group was advised to switch on their mobile phone lights to help us locate them. The group was located by one of the Walmer lifeboats in an area of active cliff falls and also spotted by the helicopter using the forward-looking infra-red camera.” | Richard Cockerill, UK Coastguard senior maritime operations officer, said: “The group was advised to switch on their mobile phone lights to help us locate them. The group was located by one of the Walmer lifeboats in an area of active cliff falls and also spotted by the helicopter using the forward-looking infra-red camera.” |
| Dover lifeboat station deputy launching authority James Salmon, said: “As we approach the summer with lighter evenings, this incident highlights how easy it can be to get cut off by the tide whilst out walking. The group also faced the dangers of cliff falls along this iconic stretch of coastline.” | Dover lifeboat station deputy launching authority James Salmon, said: “As we approach the summer with lighter evenings, this incident highlights how easy it can be to get cut off by the tide whilst out walking. The group also faced the dangers of cliff falls along this iconic stretch of coastline.” |
| The Shomrim, the Jewish neighbourhood watch organisation, said several of its volunteers had gone to Dover to assist the group. | The Shomrim, the Jewish neighbourhood watch organisation, said several of its volunteers had gone to Dover to assist the group. |
| Chaim Hochhauser, supervisor at Stamford Hill Shomrim in north London, said: “Volunteers from Stamford Hill Shomrim were called by a group of people stranded near the Dover cliffs as night was falling. | Chaim Hochhauser, supervisor at Stamford Hill Shomrim in north London, said: “Volunteers from Stamford Hill Shomrim were called by a group of people stranded near the Dover cliffs as night was falling. |
| “Several Shomrim volunteers drove down from London to support the group and liaised with parents and families throughout the incident which thankfully ended well, thanks to the great work by RNLI and HM Coastguard.” | “Several Shomrim volunteers drove down from London to support the group and liaised with parents and families throughout the incident which thankfully ended well, thanks to the great work by RNLI and HM Coastguard.” |