Published:
August 23, 2009 Desperate
motorists swim out to try and save car from sea at Brean
These
were the dramatic scenes at Brean, near Burnham-On-Sea, on Saturday
evening (August 22nd) when two desperate motorists swam out to
try and save their car from the fast-incoming tide, the SIXTH
vehicle to get stuck on local beaches this week.
The
two occupants waded out into the water in a last-ditch attempt
to try and save their vehicle after its wheels became trapped
in mud on the beach next to Brean Down.
Burnham-based
rescue charity BARB was called to help at 6.10pm when the Ford
Fiesta and its occupants were spotted in difficulty almost half
a mile out on the mudflats.
BARB
crewman Norman Templeman, pictured below, waded into the water
to check on the safety of the two men.
However,
the car was stuck fast in the mud and the call for help had come
too late for it to be pulled from the sea by BARB's tractor and
volunteer crewmembers.
BARB
Chairman Mark Newman said: "The safety of the car's occupants
was our top priority."
"Once
it became clear that the car could not be saved, we wanted to
ensure the men were safely out of the water and not putting their
lives at risk by trying to pull the car from the sea."
"We
would never recommend that people get into the sea to try and
reach a vehicle - the currents in the Bristol Channel can be very
powerful."
The
car's occupants, who are from Taunton, had hired the 2008-registered
vehicle for the day. They were unhurt, but shaken.
The
vehicle is the sixth to get stranded on beaches in the Burnham
area during this week's high tides. Beach
wardens issued a warning
on Wednesday after five cars got into difficulty at Brean
and Berrow.
Large
crowds watched the incident unfold on the beach at Brean
The
two occupants waded out into the water in a last-ditch attempt
to try and save their vehicle after its wheels became trapped
in mud on the beach next to Brean Down.
However,
the car was stuck fast in the mud and the call for help had come
too late for it to be pulled from the sea by BARB's tractor and
volunteer crewmembers.
