Causeway rescue after five people stranded in car

News imageRNLI Seahouses Lifeboat Station A black car is engulfed by the sea on the Holy Island crossing in Northumberland. RNLI volunteers pilot a RIB on the water as they travel towards he car to rescue the people inside the vehicle. The RNLI volunteers wear yellow bright waterproofs and red life jackets with RNLI branded on their backs.RNLI Seahouses Lifeboat Station
Two adults and three children were rescued from a car on the Holy Island crossing

Two adults and three children were rescued from a car after getting stuck in a rising tide on a tidal causeway.

Seahouses RNLI said there had been a "significant multi-agency response" after five people became stranded in a vehicle which had drifted off into the sea between Holy Island and Northumberland mainland at about 17:00 BST on Wednesday.

The five people were returned safely to shore but Seahouses RNLI said "what could have been a family journey home could have had a very different outcome" adding "safe crossing times were there for a reason".

The RNLI warned it was "another stark reminder of just how quickly the tide can turn on the Holy Island causeway".

The Coastguard deployed a helicopter and three rescue teams, with assistance from a police helicopter, air ambulance and ambulance teams.

Seahouses RNLI has urged people to check the official safe crossing times before travelling over the causeway, to allow plenty of time, and to never attempt to cross when water is covering the road.

"The tide can rise rapidly and conditions can change quickly," a spokesperson added.

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