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Man dies after 'tombstoning' jump | Man dies after 'tombstoning' jump |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A middle-aged man drowned and another was seriously injured when they jumped into the sea off a pier in Essex, in a stunt known as "tombstoning". | |
The two men - both believed to be in their 40s - were found face-down in the sea by lifeboat crews after jumping off a pier at Clacton, Essex, on Saturday. | |
Emergency services were alerted at about 1830 BST when five men, fully clothed, reportedly leapt in. | |
Police said they were not treating the incident as suspicious. | |
But police added they were preparing a report for a coroner. | |
"The report was of five middle-aged men jumping off Clacton Pier into the sea," said a spokesman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. | |
"Two men were reported to be unconscious in the water." | |
'Not getting message' | |
The pair were flown to hospital. One died and the other is now in intensive care. | |
Tombstoning - the practice of jumping off cliffs, piers, harbour walls or other high points into the sea - has claimed a number of lives across the UK in recent years. | Tombstoning - the practice of jumping off cliffs, piers, harbour walls or other high points into the sea - has claimed a number of lives across the UK in recent years. |
A man was killed when he plunged on to rocks in Brixham, Devon, in June and two years ago a man died after flinging himself from cliffs in Torquay. | A man was killed when he plunged on to rocks in Brixham, Devon, in June and two years ago a man died after flinging himself from cliffs in Torquay. |
A 14-year-old girl injured her spine last month when she jumped 30ft (9.14m) from cliffs onto rocks in Paignton, Devon. | A 14-year-old girl injured her spine last month when she jumped 30ft (9.14m) from cliffs onto rocks in Paignton, Devon. |
Duty watch manager for Thames Coastguard, Anthony Mayhew, said: "Once again, we see another fatality sustained by jumping from cliffs or structures into water. | Duty watch manager for Thames Coastguard, Anthony Mayhew, said: "Once again, we see another fatality sustained by jumping from cliffs or structures into water. |
"People of all ages are still not getting the message. | "People of all ages are still not getting the message. |
"Jumping from any cliff or structure into water is dangerous. It could result in serious injury or death." | "Jumping from any cliff or structure into water is dangerous. It could result in serious injury or death." |