Hastings Coastguard have released the following statement
The team were tasked last night to at the request of Sussex Police who had received reports of 2 people who had become lost and disorientated having taken a late night walk between Hastings and Pett Level.
Being specialists in searching for Lost and Missing People and being a Rope Rescue team we were able to utilise our extensive technical skill set and local knowledge to narrow down the search area, but due to the large and difficult nature of the search area we requested additional support from our flank stations HM Coastguard Rye Bay and HM Coastguard – Bexhill. Our operations room at Solent Coastguard also tasked Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat to assist.
A thorough shoreline search was conducted by Coastguard Rescue Officers and the rescue boat crew from Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat. With additional aerial support from Sussex Police’s drone we managed to locate the casualties in a safe but relatively inaccessible location
Coastguard Rescue Officers made their way to the casualties and carried out an initial assessment with crew from the Rescue boat, to ensure that they were ok, and to then work out the the safest way to extricate the casualties.
In this case with the weather deteriorating, it was decided safest and quickest option was to take the casualties by the rescue boat back to Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat’s boat house, where they were met by other Coastguard Rescue Officers and the Police, for further assessment and then taken home.
A great effort from all involved, covering a large and tricky search area. Our volunteer teams were stood down and return to their respective stations around 3.30hrs, just in time to get a couple of sleep before getting up and going to work!
In this case the casualties did the right thing, after realising they were lost rather then continuing to move around, and potentially getting their selves in to further difficulty, they contacted the emergency services and we were able to safely and successfully rescue them.
HM Coastguard is the coastal emergency service with teams that specialise in rope rescue, mud rescue, water rescue and land search and rescue.
If you get into difficulty along the coast (or see some in difficulty) , do not hesitate and dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
