Mix-up with tide times blamed for latest rescue from Holy Island causeway
It's Berwick Coastguard's SEVENTH call-out to the trouble-spot this year
Last updated 2nd Jun 2023
It's emerged a mix-up with tide times led to two adults and a child being rescued from the Holy Island causeway.
The trio had been studying safe crossing times for June the 1st - not realising they had been directed to a council web page for 2022 - before their vehicle became trapped by rising water.
Emergency teams raced to the scene after the alarm was raised around 1.40pm yesterday (Thursday), and waded through the water to bring them back to dry land.
A spokesperson for Berwick Coastguard said: "As the team entered the water, the Inshore Lifeboat (ILB) from Seahouses arrived at the causeway via road and launched from their trailer. Colleagues from HM Coastguard Holy Island stood by at the other side of the causeway as safety cover.
"The ILB recovered two adults and a child from the vehicle and handed them into the care of our team, who waded with all three casualties back to dry land. Once on dry land the casualties waited in our warm vehicle until the arrival of a recovery vehicle.
"On this occasion, the occupants of the vehicle had looked at the safe crossing times for June 1st, not realising that they had been directed to a council web page for 2022, instead of 2023.
"Please use extra care when checking the website, and ensure you are checking the correct date. In any event, if you get to the causeway and there is water on the road, do not attempt to cross."
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It's the seventh call-out for Berwick Coastguard to the Holy Island causeway this year.
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The spokesperson added: "On a side note, we would like to stress that it is not acceptable to fly a drone directly over the top of the rescue team whilst we are carrying out search and rescue activities.
"If we had been able to find the drone operator yesterday we would have been able to offer advice.
"If your drone suffers a fault and comes down, or we need to request a helicopter then you can cause serious injury to the teams or the casualties."
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