RNLI/BNPS
A cliff climber died when ferocious waves swept her into a cave and trapped her inside. Lifeboat and helicopter teams fought in the storm for two hours but could not save her. It is thought she drowned. The 30-year-old’s brother, who was also floundering in the water, was winched to safety by a Coastguard helicopter crew. The pair, who were on holiday, had been coasteering – an extreme sport involving climbing cliffs then jumping in the sea.
After jumping into the sea, the pair found themselves unable to climb back up before the incoming sea swept them away.
Lifeboats and a rescue helicopter were scrambled to the climbers’ position and were able to winch the man to safety.
His terrified sister became trapped in the cave where the rescue team spent two hours speaking to her through a 15ft deep blowhole leading to the cave
Tragically the team from Portland Coastguard were unable to reach her before the tide filled up the cave, despite one rescue worker squeezing himself down the 1.5ft wide hole in an effort to reach the woman.
The search had to be called off at 5.15pm.
Dave Turnbull, of the Swanage lifeboat, said: “The woman had been washed into a small cave at the base of the cliffs that had a blowhole at the top that wasn’t very accessible.
“The helicopter winchman got into a position where he could talk to her through the gap.
“She seemed to be out of the water but there was no way we could reach her.
“As the tide rose, many further attempts to reach her were made but the rough conditions, with the tide rising and seas breaking over the heads of the rescuers at times, proved impossible to overcome.
“With the tide getting higher another coastguard officer entered through the blowhole but found the woman had sadly succumbed to the conditions.
“It was very sad and a truly awful situation to have been in.”
A spokesman for Dorset police said the man who was rescued was cold and shaken, but unhurt.
He said: “Despite the best efforts of the coastguard rescue teams, the search was abandoned due to the extreme weather conditions and the female was not located and remains unaccounted for.
“We are liaising with her family.”
A spokesman for Swanage coastguard explained the severity of the attempted rescue.
He said: “The rescue was considered to be at the very edge of our technical capability.
“With the light failing and high tide approaching a final risk assessment was undertaken by the office in charge and decision made to deploy.
“The St Albans’ cliff technician showed exceptional courage and entered the cave through the blowhole.
"On entering the cave it became apparent that the casualty had sadly succumbed.”
Peter Boyce, who organises coasteering expeditions for Cumulus Outdoors of Swanage, Dorset, said: “Before we go out, we check certain websites to look at the height of the waves and the distance between the waves.
“The weather conditions weren’t good for coasteering on Saturday.”
More bad weather on the way
Heavy rainfall in London and the South this week could cause flooding.
Gales are expected to hit coastal areas and an icy spell and frost is predicted further north.
The warnings came after weekend winds cut off power to 25,000 homes in Wales and southern England.
Firework displays were hit, with at least nine hurt when an out-of-control firework exploded in Broadway, Worcs.
In the Irish Sea, a man was airlifted to hospital from a ferry after injuring his head in force eight gales yesterday.
The Met Office said: “It’s going to stay unsettled throughout November.”
Source: mirror news
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