Bournemouth Pier to Pier: Missing swimmers 'went home'

Lifeboats and a helicopter spent two hours searching the area

A major sea search was mounted after a number of swimmers forgot to check in after a charity event in Dorset.

Three lifeboats and a helicopter were called out when nine swimmers were reported missing at the Bournemouth Pier to Pier swim at 14:00 on Sunday.
Emergency crews and an onshore search team spent two hours looking for the swimmers before the search was ended.
By then eight were confirmed to have gone home and the ninth was also believed to be safe.
A Portland Coastguard spokesman said they were happy about the safety of the ninth swimmer as she had taken part alongside her partner and he had checked in with organisers.
Participants had been swimming in the sea between Bournemouth and Boscombe piers to raise money for the British Heart Foundation (BHF).
Organisers alerted the coastguard shortly after 14:00 BST when a head count showed some people were missing.
The coastguard spokesman said three lifeboats and a helicopter were sent out to search the area.

“Start Quote

We will be reviewing the check-in procedure”

End Quote Andy Coles BHF event organiser

"All the time that was going on it became clearer the problem was with the administration of checking these people off," he said.

Andy Coles, BHF event organiser said several participants failed to check in with organisers at the end of the event.
"We immediately alerted the emergency services as a precautionary part of our safety protocol and subsequently Portland Coastguard initiated a search of the swim area and adjoining sea.
"After a full search utilising three lifeboats, a coastguard helicopter and a coastguard rescue team, they were, in liaison with the event organisers, confident that all participants had finished the event.
"We also immediately phoned the swimmers and most had simply forgotten to check in and gone home without notifying event organisers.
"We are waiting for confirmation from one last participant who swam with a partner we already know to have completed the event.
"We will be reviewing the check-in procedure with the event organisers, and thank all of the event swimmers who today raised much needed funds to fight heart disease."
More than 1,000 people take part in the annual Pier to Pier swim which sees people from across Britain joining in.
Participants, who register prior to the event, wear red or yellow colour-coded swim hats and wristbands.
The swimmers were divided into two events - the first from 10:00 BST finished at 12:00 BST.