Woman Dies After Heart Attack Drama at Isle of Wight Beach
A tragic emergency at Yaverland beach on the Isle of Wight has sparked outrage and calls for an urgent police probe. A woman suffering a suspected heart attack was hauled from the water but sadly couldn’t be saved.
Public Denied Crucial Defibrillator Aid
Witnesses claim desperate bids to restart the woman’s heart hit a shocking roadblock nearby. Passers-by rushed to Isle of Wight Zoo in Sandown, just yards away, begging to borrow an AED (defibrillator) before paramedics arrived. But zoo site manager Lawrence Bates refused, insisting the device was for zoo use only.
This decision has sparked widespread disgust and demands for a Hampshire Police investigation, with many insisting the outcome could have been different if the AED had been accessed.
Massive Rescue Effort Ends in Heartbreak
- Two helicopters
- Two Coastguard Rescue Teams
- Two ambulances
- Senior ambulance officer
- Sandown & Shanklin Lifeboat
All scrambled to the scene in a desperate attempt to save the woman. But despite their best efforts, she tragically passed away.
Zoo Responds: No Defibrillator On Site
“We received an urgent radio call asking if a first aider could attend an incident on Yaverland car park yesterday,” a spokesperson said.
“Our first aider ran to the front office to speak with a member of the public asking for a defibrillator. The Isle of Wight Zoo does not have its own defibrillator but there is a public access defibrillator on the granite fort bordering the car park — it requires a code.
“Our staff didn’t have the code and explained the need to call 999 to gain access. An ambulance soon arrived at the incident.
“Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the woman’s friends and family during these very testing times.”
