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Teenagers rescued from Kent beach after using phones as beacons Teenagers rescued from Kent beach after using phones as beacons
(about 2 hours 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, 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 point 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 signs warning them not to continue.
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 infrared 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 group were on an outing organised through the Ahvas Yisroel community centre in London’s Stamford Hill. A spokesman for the centre said a full investigation into the incident would be held so that lessons could be learned, and praised the coastguard and RNLI.
The boys, all aged between 13 and 14 and on their half-term holiday, were being supervised by two community centre staff at the time.
“We are hugely grateful to the coastguard whose swift actions ensured that everyone was returned to shore safe and well. A full internal investigation will be held to ascertain the facts and understand the lessons to be learned,” the centre said in a statement.
The spokesman said: “Look, mistakes happen. The coastguard has said in their statement that mistakes happen, and that lessons should be learned and urging people to take greater care. We are not treating it as an irrelevance. It’s important. We want to have a proper investigation and we want to get all the facts.”
All the boys were now safely back in London with their parents. “Just like every other community centre or youth group take their kids on outings, they went on an outing and, unfortunately … well it could have been so much worse if it wasn’t for the wonderful, wonderful actions of the coastguards,” said the spokesman.
The first group of 17 stranded were rescued at 9.50pm below the south Foreland lighthouse after the Walmer RNLI raft saw the flashing lights from their phones. Further east near the ZigZags steps, another group of 19 people were found. Of this group, five had separated off and were rescued by helicopter off the rocks.
Members of the Stamford Hill Shomrim volunteer guard had travelled to Dover to help with the search after receiving a distress call from one of those stranded alerting them to the group’s plight. 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.”