Three casualties were extracted by lifeboat and helicopter after becoming trapped by the tide and struggling in difficult conditions at Thornwick Bay on Saturday.
A swimmer requiring urgent medical attention and two people trapped in a cave have been pulled to safety during a complex rescue operation at Thornwick Bay.
Four individuals found themselves struggling in difficult conditions on Saturday, October 10th, prompting a major emergency response from lifeboat crews, coastguard rescue teams, and an emergency helicopter.
Emergency services were initially alerted at 3:45 pm to reports of three people cut off by the tide. Upon arriving at the scene at 4:00 pm, rescue teams established that one male had already managed to reach the shore independently.
A second casualty was located further out in the water, while two others had sought shelter inside a cave, clinging to rocks at the base of the overhanging cliffs.
Volunteer crews from Flamborough RNLI, operating the B-959 Forever Yibba lifeboat, worked alongside coastguard personnel to pull the swimmer from the water. The casualty was conscious but had swallowed a significant amount of water and required immediate medical care.
Rescue Helicopter 912 arrived on the scene to assist. The swimmer was winched from the lifeboat up to the aircraft, which then landed on the cliff tops to transfer the individual into the care of the Yorkshire Ambulance Service.
Attention then shifted to the two casualties sheltering inside the cave. The Officer in Charge determined that the severe overhang of the cliffs made an aerial extraction from above impossible.
A coastguard cliff team was deployed from the cliff top, with a technician descending to within five metres of the trapped pair to assess the situation and determine the safest route to safety.
As tidal conditions began to improve, rescue coordinators decided the lifeboat was in the best position to carry out the extraction. The volunteer crew navigated the lifeboat in close to the cliff bottom, successfully taking both casualties on board.
The pair were transported clear of the cliffs before being winched up to the rescue helicopter. The aircraft landed once more to hand the remaining casualties over to ambulance crews for further medical assessment and care.
The Flamborough lifeboat and its volunteer crew were officially stood down and returned safely to their station at South Landing at 5:30 pm, where the shore crew cleaned and refuelled the vessel and launching tractor for their next deployment.
Bridlington Coastguard Rescue Team, who were tasked alongside the Filey Coastguard Rescue Team and Flamborough RNLI, praised the joint efforts of everyone involved.
"A fantastic example of multi-agency teamwork, with Coastguard teams, RNLI volunteers, the rescue helicopter crew and ambulance colleagues working together in challenging conditions to bring all four people to safety. This incident could have had a very different outcome. We would like to thank everyone involved for their professionalism, teamwork and commitment throughout the rescue."
Coastguard officials also issued a reminder to the public regarding coastal safety.
"If you get into difficulty around the coast, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard."
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