TWO SEARCHES FOR BAIT DIGGERS LOST IN FOG

In two separate incidents this evening Liverpool Coastguard sent resources to assist people after they became lost in fog whilst on the beach.

The first call came at 8.00 pm from a man who had been bait digging at Formby Point in Merseyside.  The fog had descended quickly and he had found himself unable to find his way back, and unable to give his position.  Liverpool Coastguard sent the Crosby Coastguard Rescue Team, quad bikes from Southport Independent Rescue and teams from Mersey Fire and Rescue Service and Merseyside Police to the scene.  They also maintained telephone contact with the man for the duration of the incident, asking him to listen for the resources that were searching for him and describe the location of any sounds.  They also asked vessels entering the river to sound their foghorns, again to assist with pinpointing the man’s location.  Although the tide had been going out at the time of the man’s initial call, as resources searched, the tide began coming in around him, making the search even more urgent.

At 9.15 pm, the man reported to Liverpool Coastguard that he could see the lights of a Police Land Rover and a quad bike, and so he was met by rescue crews and escorted safely off the beach.

Just after the previous incident had closed, at 9.29 pm, Liverpool Coastguard received a call from a man who had also been out bait digging, this time at Blackpool.  Again, he had lost his way in the fog and the tide had begun coming in around him.  Liverpool Coastguard sent the Lytham Coastguard Rescue Team and requested the RNLI send their tractor from Lytham to assist in the search, along with requesting they launch the Blackpool Inshore Lifeboats.  Luckily, at 9.35 (just as the lifeboats were launching), the man phoned to say that the fog had lifted sufficiently for him to make his way back to the road, and the rescue resources were stood down.

Liverpool Coastguard Watch Manager Paul Parkes said:

“Having also dealt with an incident last week where a father and son became lost in fog and had to be treated for severe hypothermia, the risks of being out on the coast when fog descends are all too clear.  We would encourage members of the public to always check the weather forecast before they go out onto the coast for any activity, and stay away from the beach when fog is forecast.”

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