UK. Coastguard Rescue helicopter `India Juliet' winches women from mud in Chichester harbour

- Sat 2nd Sep 2006

Following a call for assistance on a routine line, Solent Coastguard, at 20:45 this evening, co-ordinated a rescue effort for three people one of whom was stuck firmly up to her lower chest in mud in Chichester Harbour, at Emsworth. The remaining two were on board a beached rigid inflatable boat, with no safety equipment or charts.

The call from the man in the beached rib identified their location as Emsworth, and the caller described his 35 year old sister as being stuck in sand to the west of the channel and unable to move. She had been stuck for about half an hour before the call was made.

The Hayling Island Coastguard Rescue Team was immediately sent to the scene and the Hayling RNLI Lifeboat was also requested to launch.

The Coastguard Rescue helicopter `India Juliet' on its 4001st mission was also scrambled; Portsmouth Coastguard team and an ambulance were tasked to the Horsea Island landing site.

The woman was gently lifted from the mud by the winchman as were the remaining two from on board the rib, and all three were then flown by helicopter to Horsea Island where the ambulance took them to the Queen Alexandra Hospital at Cosham for a check up.

The rib has been towed to a safe location.

Alan Bishop, Coastguard Watch Manager at Solent Coastguard said "We are still unsure as to the circumstances surrounding the woman getting firmly stuck in the glutinous mud at the top of the harbour.

As she found to her cost, the weight and stickiness of the cold mud can envelop the fittest person very quickly, and this 35 year old woman was up to her lower chest in just half an hour. Please avoid this area, particularly at low water when it can give the appearance of being firm enough to walk on. Also this most definitely was a 999 call situation. The casualty called 118118 who then put him through to our control room. Even 101 would have been better."

By forum user, Bruce_Bennett