635/2021 Cliff Search Jersey
16/11/2021
The service was alerted by Guernsey Coastguard at 1139hrs following a request for assistance from Jersey Coastguard.
The Jersey Combined Control Room had received a 999 call which had reported an accident on the cliff, but before any further information could be obtained, the call dropped and contact could not be re-established. Telecom network data had estimated the call to have come from the north coast of Jersey.
A crew was established and briefed, and the aircraft was mobile at 1224hrs, taking off from runway 27 at 12:30hrs.
AIr Search 1 arrived on scene at 1241hrs and descended below 500 feet AMSL for the first leg of the search from the north west corner of Jersey to St Catherine's breakwater. At 1256hrs the aircraft climbed above 500 for the remainder of teh search, which utilised the FLIR in addition to visual observation.
Various objects included fishing pots, kayaks and polythene sheeting were located and discounted from the search.
The serach area was refined as time went on, and was eventually reduced to the area between Grosnez and Plemont as more information, including the clothing and proposed route of the casualties became available.
Jersey Coastguard stood the aircraft down at 1343hrs after it was confirmed that the casulaties had been located and were safe and well.
It was later confirmed that the casualties had been picked up by a community responder and were not in the search area.
The aircraft returned to Guernsey, landing at 1355hrs to be refuelled and made ready for service.