WINTER STORMS - 32 RESCUED IN DIABOLICAL CONDITIONS

The Lymington Coastguard Rescue Team was called out to help people trapped in a restaurant on Milford on Sea, alongside the fire service and army personnel.

Solent Coastguard was first contacted at 10pm on Friday 14th February when the sea flooded the Marine Restaurant and the wind picked up the shingle from the beach and smashed through the ground floor windows. The 32 restaurant customers and staff were stranded, but had managed to move upstairs while waiting to be rescued.

Conditions at the time were described as diabolical and extremely hazardous. The Army described it as like being in a war zone while under rifle fire.

The team was expecting to respond to local coastal flooding but not the scene of devastation that greeted them at the restaurant. The sea levels caused the waves to come over the top of the sea wall at Milford and smash into the windows at the restaurant. The water was flooding in and the front doors were bent and buckled. Nearby vehicles had overturned, beach huts smashed and the water was full of debris with waist deep waves sweeping people off their feet.

Coastguard Rescue Officer Paul Richman has invaluable local knowledge of both the surrounding area, the approach to the restaurant and the restaurant itself. As he was arriving on scene, he was forced to remove a boulder in the track leading up to the restaurant. He also told the Army which track to avoid and guided them in. Paul continued to provide vital communications through VHF radio during the incident, risking his own safety to assist others in danger.

This was a tremendous effort from all those involved, including other members of the Lymington Coastguard Rescue Team. Station Officer Colin Tabor worked into the early hours of Saturday morning, but then also returned to the scene later that Saturday to help with the clear up, having only had two hours sleep.
  


Richard Martin, Chief Coastguard says,
“Coastguards have worked tirelessly over the past few months as storms and tidal surges have battered many parts of the UK coastline. I'd like to take a moment to thank them all for their sterling efforts in what have been very challenging conditions.

“From the staff coordinating efforts in our Coastguard centres, to those rescue officers out in their communities, so many have given up their free time to help out. Some have done so in the early hours, on Christmas Eve into Christmas Day and even spending time away from loved ones on Valentine’s Day.

“Over the next few days and weeks, we’ll be featuring some examples of the work carried out by Coastguards during the storms. My thanks again to everyone involved in the storm rescue efforts as we all worked together to help keep the public safe.”



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