Brian David Stevens

Brian David Stevens

Beachy Head 

'We lack the wings to fly, but will always have the strength to fall'

Paul Claudel


Beachy Head is the highest chalk sea cliff in Britain, rising to 162 metres (531 ft) above sea level. The peak allows views of the south east coast from Dungeness in the east, to Selsey Bill in the west. Its height has also made it one of the most notorious suicide spots in the world.

  • Taken from the Birling Gap Coastguard's Facebook feed


    23rd January 12.55 Newhaven Coastguard team tasked to Seaford after personal belongings were found close to the cliff edge at Seaford Head.

    The Identity of a potential missing person was established by Sussex Police and a search commenced.

    17 Coastguard Search & Rescue Officers from Newhaven, Birling Gap & Eastbourne Coastguard teams with a Senior Coastal Operations Officer were joined by 7 Police officers & PCSO’s and an extensive search was carried out of the Cliff top and surrounding areas.

    Newhaven Lifeboat carried out a shore line and sea search and the Police Helicopter was also on scene for a while assisting with the search area.

    Once the tide receded Coastguard teams searched the beach from Seaford to the River Cuckmere.

    Due to the terrain radio communications were difficult so Newhaven Lifeboat remained on scene to relay radio messages from the various search teams back to the command vehicle at Splash Point.

    Despite searching for six and a half hours with 25 land personnel a Lifeboat and Helicopter we were not able to locate the missing person and as darkness fell the teams were stood down.

    This is an ongoing incident and if anyone sees anything they are not sure of in the area please call Sussex Police or HM Coastguard


    28th January 09.53 Newhaven Coastguard tasked to Beachy Head to assist our colleges from Eastbourne and Birling Gap with the recovery of 2 casualties from the bottom of the cliff.

    Our condolences go to their families.


    Saturday 12th March 03.15 Birling Gap Team paged to report of casualty at foot of cliffs assisted by Eastbourne Coastguard and Eastbourne ilb and all weather lifeboat casualty located and recovered to cliff top our condolences to family and friends at this time


    Sunday 6th March @ 0230 hrs Birling Gap Coastguard Team paged along with Eastbourne Coastguard Team to search for a missing person assisted by Rescue 163 @ 0445 hrs nothing found all search teams stood down


    Sunday 6th March @1045 both Birling Gap and Eastbourne Teams paged to recover a Casualty again assisted by Rescue 163 our condolences to the Family and friends at this time


    Monday 11th March at 1930 hrs Birling Gap and Eastbourne Coastguard Teams paged to assist Police with a search for a missing person. With the help from Rescue Helo 163 casualty located and recovered. Condolences to the family and friends of the casualty


    Saturday 12th March 03.15 Birling Gap Team paged to report of casualty at foot of cliffs assisted by Eastbourne Coastguard and Eastbourne ilb and all weather lifeboat casualty located and recovered to cliff top our condolences to family and friends at this time


    Wednesday 13th March 3rd Incident today 19.57 Tasked from routine training to a possible despondent person on the cliff at Seaford. Our flank station, Birling Gap Coastguard were also tasked as back up. The person was located and after Police and Coastguards chatted to the casualty they calmed down and were returned home by the police


    Tuesday 29th March at 20.25 hrs Biirling Gap Coastguard Team paged along with Eastbourne Coastguard Team and helicopter Rescue 163 to search for a despondent person, After a search along cliff tops and shore line nothing found all teams were stood down


    Friday 6th May Paged to assist Eastbourne Coastguard with the recovery of a casualty our condolences go to family and friends of the casualty


    Friday 20th May 2016 Full team page to assist Sussex Police with a despondent person at Beachy Head. As the team arrived on station we received coms from our ops room that the person was now safe and to stand down.


    Monday 30th May Team Page to a report of a car over the cliff at Beachy Head , Eastbourne Coastguards also Paged along with helicopter rescue 163 and both Eastbourne Lifeboats after a search it was found to be a car from a previous call out, All search parties stood down , false alarm with good intent.


    Thursday 9th June Birling Gap Coastguard paged with Eastbourne Coastguard ,to a report of a despondent person on the cliff ,After person was spoken to by sussex police casualty came away and team stood down.


    Saturday 9th July Team paged to report of a person over the cliff by belle tout layby Eastbourne Coastguard Team were also paged along with the ILB and the Coastguard helicopter Rescue 163 , A Search team was sent along the beach under the cliffs our condolences to family and friends at this sad time


    Sunday 17th July Birling Gap Coastguard team paged to assist Eastbourne Coastguard with a search for a missing person our condolences to family and friends at this sad time


    Monday 1st August at 20.25 hrs .Team paged to assist Sussex Police with a despondent person on the cliffs at Beachy Head . Casualty with police and handed over to East Sussex Ambulance . Team stood down at 00.45 hrs and returned to station


    Wednesday 3rd August 2016 Just after we had finished with our first tasking Dover Coastguard re tasked the team to a report of a person that had fallen from the cliffs at Beachy Head.

    Dover Coastguard also requested the Eastbourne CRT, Eastbourne ILB (RNLI inshore lifeboat) and Rescue helo 163 to attend.

    The casualty was quickly located, a HLS was made ready for Rescue 163 and the casualty was recovered to the cliff top and handed over to Sussex Police.

    We send our deepest condolences to all the family and friends affected.


    8th august 10.36 hours team paged to recover a body from Beachy Head our condolences to family and friends


    8th August 15.00 hours Team paged to casualty over cliff recovered by helicopter our condolences to family and friends


    13th August 21.49 hours Team paged to suicidal person of on cliff edge person in safe hands of sussex police team stood down


    17th August 17.25 hours Team paged along with Newhaven Coastguard to person over cliff at Seaford our condolences to family and friends


    23rd August 18.50 hours team paged with Eastbourne Coastguard to person over cliff our condolences to family and friends


    24th August 08.15 Team paged along with Eastbourne Coastguard and Eastbourne ILB paged to person over cliff person recovered to cliff top our condolences to family and friends


    29th August 12.15 hours team paged with Newhaven Coast to person over cliff person recovered our condolences to family and friends


    3rd September 13.21 hours team paged along with Eastbourne Coastguard to person over cliff person recovered our condolences to family and friends


    19th September team page to report of person over the cliff at Crowlink our condolences go to family and friends at this time


    27th September team paged to report of person over the cliff at Beachy head after a short search the person was located while dealing with this incident a second person was spotted both persons recovered to the cliff top our condolences go to family and friends at this time


    29th September team page to search for a missing person Eastbourne Coastguard team also paged along with rescue helicopter 163 after a search nothing was found and all teams stood down


    5th October team paged to search after a pair of boots was found on the cliff top west of Birling Gap , After cliff top search and beach search nothing found team stood down


    9th October at 15.30 hrs Team paged to search for missing person, after a brief search person located and in safe hands of Sussex Police team stood down


    12th October at 17.12 Hrs team paged for report of a body at Beachy Head assisted by Eastbourne Coastguard, Eastbourne ILB and Helicopter Rescue 163 and a short search casualty located Our condolences to family and friends at this sad time


    13th October Team paged with Eastbourne Coastguards for a Body recovery our condolences to family and friends


    14th October Team paged along with Eastbourne Coastguards for a Search for a missing Person, After a Search on the Cliff top and on the Shore line nothing was found all teams stood down


    25th October Birling Gap , Eastbourne and Newhaven Coastguard teams whilst searching for the missing dog bonnie , Were alerted to a body on the beach near to Shooters Bottom, Once the Casualty was located Eastbourne ILB recovered the body condolences to Family and friends


    5th November team paged at 1836hrs to report of person over cliff at Beachy Head casualty Recovered by Eastbourne ILB team stood down our condolences to family and friends


    10th November at 0112 hrs Birling Gap and Eastbourne Coastguard Teams paged to search for missing person teams stood down after person found safe and well on Eastbourne Seafront


    15th November Birling Gap and Eastbourne Coastguard teams paged to report of person over cliff at Beachy Head Casualty recovered to the cliff top and handed to the Coroner teams stood down our condolences to family and friends.


    10th December team paged at 0828hrs to assist Sussex Police with person on cliff edge person in safe hands of Sussex Police team stood down.


    11th December at 1125hrs team paged to report of possible body over cliff after a search nothing found team stood down.


    15th December at 1217hrs team paged to search for report of a body in the sea nothing found team stood down.


    19th December at 1121hrs Birling Gap and Eastbourne Coastguard Teams along with RNLI for Body Recovery our Condolences to Family and Friends.


    19th December at 1121hrs Birling Gap and Eastbourne Coastguard Teams along with RNLI for Body Recovery our Condolences to Family and Friends.


    27th December at 0957 hrs Birling Gap and Eastbourne Coastguards paged to report of a Body on the cliff face, Body recovered and handed to the Coroner, Teams stood down.


    28th December at 1650 hours Birling Gap and Eastbourne Coastguard along with Helicopter Rescue 163 Casualty Recovered By Rescue 163 and taken to Eastbourne DGH teams stood down our Condolences to Family and Friends


    30th December at 1452hrs Birling Gap and Eastbourne Coastguard teams paged to report of a Despondent person on the Cliff Edge at Beachy Head person in safe hands of Sussex Police

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