On Boxing Day at 4:22pm the RNLI Inshore Lifeboat was requested by Solent Coastguard to attend a suspected incident at Durdle Door. It had been reported that a person was trying to jump into the water.
Seven minutes later, as the light was fading, the request was made for the All-weather lifeboat to join the Inshore lifeboat.
The Inshore lifeboat arrived on scene at Durdle Door only to find that the alarm had been raised because of a ‘base jumper’ who had jumped from the headland and landed safely on the beach.
At 4.59pm the All-weather lifeboat which by now was half way across the bay was turned around and both lifeboats were stood down and returned to station.
On return to station both boats were refuelled and made ready for the next shout at 5.37pm.
Editor’s note: BASE jumping is the recreational sport of jumping from fixed objects, using a parachute to descend safely to the ground. “BASE” is an acronym that stands for four categories of fixed objects from which one can jump: buildings, antennae (referring to radio masts), spans (bridges), and earth (cliffs). (Source: Wikipedia)
