Wednesday 8 May 2019

Late Night Search


The team was paged around half past midnight this morning with concern for the welfare of a missing person, believed to be putting them self in danger along the coast near Swanage. 

Liaising with the police and calling our colleagues at St Albans for back-up, on one of the wettest, windiest nights for weeks the team soon put a plan in place to cover the ground.

The area from Peveril Point to the chalk stack north of Sheps Hollow was divided up and searched whilst another team walked the path from Sheps Hollow to the top of Ballard. Intelligence suggested this could be a key path.  Our 4x4 vehicle was deployed onto the top of Ballard Down and made a number of sweeps from Old Harry to the Obelisk above Ulwell.  It was kept there for quick response in case the individual should suddenly appear at the cliff top threatening harm.

After a couple of hours and the beaches and beach huts thoroughly checked, we started to move the search further South and cover the area from Peveril Point up towards Durlston.

Shortly before 03.00am, the individual made a phone call from the Durlston area and with Police and Coastguard teams making for the area, was soon located cold and wet and was taken into police care.

The 14 volunteers stood down, cleaned and dried equipment back at the station, warmed up with a mug of tea and then returned home.

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