Busy Friday night for the coastguard

By Chris Cornford Feb 8, 2021

Emergency service teams were called to search for two people in the space of half-an-hour on Friday night (January 29).

The first shout was to search for a high-risk missing male in Shanklin at around 10.30pm. Ventnor and Needles Coastguard Rescue Teams (CRTs), Sandown and Shanklin Independent Lifeboat and Isle of Wight Police were on site while WightSAR was also tasked to conduct a land search. The man was found by police at around 11pm and taken to St Mary’s Hospital.

The two coastguard rescue teams were immediately tasked to a second incident at Totland Bay when it was reported that a female was in the sea. However, as they approached the Bay, Police contacted them to say they had found the person.

A spokesman for Ventnor Coastguard Rescue said: “Proceeding with Needles CRT, we were stood down just before arriving on scene. If you see someone in difficulty at the coast, dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.”