Two elderly people trapped by the tide die drowned

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Drama in the Channel. Two people drowned on Tuesday after finding themselves isolated by the tide, during an episode of high tides also marked by storm Pierrick, announced the maritime prefecture. According to the local press, they were two fishermen on foot, a man and a woman, both aged 73.

The alert was given late Tuesday afternoon by witnesses who informed the regional operational surveillance and rescue center (Cross) Jobourg that “three people are in difficulty, with water up to size, in the Saint-Martin-de-Bréhal sector (Manche)”, indicates in a press release the maritime prefecture of the Manche and the North Sea.

Another victim

Emergency services were immediately mobilized but it was a zodiac from the Saint-Martin-de-Bréhal sailing school which was the first to recover two people, including one unconscious, and bring them back to the beach. A medical team dropped off by helicopter took care of them but the unconscious person could not be revived and was declared dead. The second victim was in absolute emergency when he was treated by the firefighters.

Further north, witnesses came to the aid of the third victim, at the Bricqueville-sur-Mer aid station (Manche). She will also be declared dead when help arrives. The Coutances public prosecutor’s office opened an investigation which was entrusted to the departmental gendarmerie, specifies the maritime prefecture.

Rules to respect

The prefecture reminds the “simple but essential rules” for enjoying the coastline while the high tides continue until April 11:

  • before any outing at sea or on the coast, check the weather forecast, tide coefficients and times;
  • do not go out alone and inform loved ones of your intentions beforehand (place, time of departure and if possible return);
  • have a means of communication to alert emergency services at sea (mobile phone charged and placed in a waterproof pocket to contact 196, or via channel 16 on VHF);
  • stay close to a withdrawal point and maintain a visual reference point on the coast (as the tide rises, it can considerably modify the perception of the environment).

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