Crews searched the pier, surrounding water and mud flats
999 crews at Southend Pier(Image: HM Coastguard Southend)
999 crews rushed to Southend’s pier last night after reports of 2 men jumping from it into the sea. Yesterday evening, at 10.25pm, Essex Police, East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust and RNLI Southend Lifeboat were tasked to a ‘time critical response.’
Southend Coastguard Officers were taken to the end of the 1.3 mile pier to conduct searches of the end structure and surrounding water along with Essex Police. A police helicopter (NPAS) was also used to search for any signs of persons in the water from the air.
Southend Hovercraft was also used to search for any persons underneath the pier which officers could not easily see. After a search of the pier, surrounding water and mud flats, no persons were found. All teams were then stood down.
HM Coastguard Southend On Sea said: “We would like to thank the Pier & Foreshore security officer and RNLI for assisting our officers on and around the Pier.”
Earlier this month, HM Coastguard Southend said that it has has seen an increase in people, mainly teenagers, jumping into the sea from piers in recent years – an event known as ‘tombstoning’. The local piers and jetties where the coastguard has seen the most cases of ‘tombstoning’ are Barge Pier on Garrison, Gilson Pier on Marine Parade and Bell Wharf at Old Leigh.
Many of these piers have restricted access with warning signs for the very reason to deter people climbing on them, but they are continually vandalised. The coastguard has said that local jetties have hidden dangers and tidal flows that make jumping into the water very dangerous.
