School Party Cut Off by Tide Saved in Dramatic Kent Coast Guard Rescue
A massive coastguard rescue was launched last night to save 34 children and two teachers stranded by the rising tide in Kent. The large-scale operation involved three lifeboats, a coastguard team, and a rescue helicopter after the group got trapped near Landon Bay.
Emergency Call Sparks Big Rescue
At around 9pm on 6 June, Kent Police alerted the UK Coastguard Operations Centre in Fareham that a school party was lost and cut off by the tide. The young group, unsure of their exact location, was believed to be near St Margaret’s Bay and Dover Harbour.
Lifeboats from Dover and Walmer, along with the Landon Coastguard Rescue Team and a rescue helicopter from Lydd, were scrambled immediately to the scene.
High-Tech Search Locates Group in Peril
UK Coastguard Senior Maritime Operations Officer Richard Cockerill said: “When we got the call, our teams were tasked to locate the London school party. They were advised to switch on their phone lights to help us spot them.”
The stranded group was found by a Walmer lifeboat in an area riddled with active cliff falls. The helicopter’s forward-looking infra-red (FLIR) camera also spotted them through the darkness.
All Rescued Safely After Tense Operation
Alex Brown, winch operator on the Lydd helicopter, explained: “The FLIR camera worked brilliantly, letting us find the group fast. Most were rescued by lifeboat, but we landed on rocks to airlift five people back to Dover Coastguard Station.”
Dover RNLI Coxswain Mark Finnis added: “The group got caught out by the tide. Thanks to quick and coordinated action, all 36 were saved without serious injury—although it was a traumatic ordeal.”
The rescue brought to a close what was a tense night on the Kent coast, highlighting the vital role of the region’s dedicated search and rescue teams.
