COASTGUARDS RESCUE MISSING MAN FROM REMOTE MARSHLAND NEAR WEYMOUTH

A 62-year-old man missing for more than 24 hours has been rescued from a nature reserve just north of Weymouth.

Portland Coastguard was first contacted by Dorset Police just after 6pm this evening asking for help in the search for the missing man. They believed he was in the vicinity close to the Lodmoor RSPB bird reserve. The Coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Portland and the Wyke Coastguard Rescue Team were sent to the scene. Members of Dorset Search and Rescue (DorSAR) had also been sent to assist.

Some 30 minutes into the search, and using their infra-red heat seeking equipment on board, the Coastguard helicopter spotted something close to Two Mile Coppice. Unable to land due to the rough terrain and overhead wires, the helicopter crew managed to direct the Coastguard Rescue Officers and DorSAR to the location. Amongst the rough overgrown ground, they managed to locate the man.

However, due to the conditions on the ground, it was deemed too hazardous to try to walk the man back to safety. Instead, the Coastguard helicopter manoeuvred itself into a safe enough position to be able to winch the man on board the helicopter and fly him to safety. He was taken to the Portland helicopter base where he was met by paramedics. He has since been taken to hospital suffering from suspected hypothermia. 

Maddy Davey, Watch Manager at Portland Coastguard, said:

“This was a tricky rescue operation this evening, with teams working in the dark and in an inaccessible area of land. But through working together with other emergency services and rescue organisations, we were thankfully able to locate this man and take him to safety.”

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