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Tides swallow 15 Chinese in England
(China Daily)
Updated: 2004-02-06 23:07
Fifteen bodies of Chinese shellfish hunters have been found after being
trapped on Thursday night by rising tides in Morecombe Bay in northwestern
England, British police said on Friday.
Several others are still missing at the bay, a notoriously dangerous area
known for its fast rising tides and shifting sands.
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Nets and other unidentified objects lie abandoned on a
beach near the scene of a mass drowning at Morecambe
Bay. |
At least a dozen members of the group have been rescued or walked ashore
themselves, Xinhua reported.
Police said neither of the Chinese speak English, and their identities are
still unknown.
Two survivors were seen apparently being pulled alive from the water. And,
earlier, at least 10 managed to struggle ashore safely, three of them taken to
hospital and at least four to Lancaster police station, according to Xinhua.
It is not known if any of the missing people have made it to land or if they
have been swept out to sea. Lifeboats are still searching the area.
It is said that the group set out to go searching for cockles -- very small
shellfish -- about 23:00 pm (Beijing time) on Thursday, but the tide came in and
they became trapped on large mud flaps exposed by the water.
Royal Air Force, the local coast guards and police have been searching the
water overnight, while mountain rescue teams have been searching the coast using
dogs.
Andy Binstead, of the Bowland Pennine mountain rescue, said the teams were
deeply distressed to have found the bodies.
"It's awful. It's one of the things we always hope we never come up with.
Usually we get to people in time, or help someone out, which is what we exist
for," he told a reporter with the British Broadcasting Corporation.
Local lawmaker Geraldine Smith told the BBC that "cockling'' had become "a
really controversial issue" in recent weeks.
"The problem is that Morecambe Bay is a public fishery, so anyone can come
and fish," she said.
The estimated value of the shellfish on Morecambe beach is 6 million pounds,
which had lured people from all over Britain and beyond, she noted.
Alex Pinfield, a British Embassy spokesman, told China Daily on Friday that
UK authorities are doing all they can to rescue possible survivors and to look
after them.
"I feel great regret for the family members of the victims and will keep
close contact with London and Chinese authorities,'' said Pinfield.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry official said that China has appreciated the
rescue work provided by the UK and hopes the rescue operation can be continued
and strengthened.
Chinese Embassy officials in London rushed to the accident site in Morecombe
Bay on Friday to provide help rescue work and help the survivors and family
members, embassy sources said.
The consulate has issued a statement urging Chinese abroad to pay attention
to self-security and to obey local rules to help prevent
accidents.
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