Van goes over cliff crashing onto beach below sparking emergency response

Northumbria Police has issued a statement following an incident in which a van plunged over a cliff in South Shields[1]. Officers are still present at the scene in the Marsden area after the incident, which occurred at 6am this morning. A 'concern for welfare' report prompted police to rush to the location, joined by the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, the North East Ambulance Service, the Tynemouth RNLI, and HM Coastguard, reports Chronicle Live[2].

Images captured at the scene show officers gathered on the clifftop, just off the A183 Coast Road. The force has confirmed that the van 'went over the cliffs on to the beach below', with investigations still underway. A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: "At 6am today (Wednesday), we received a report of a concern for welfare near the A183 Coast Road in South Shields.

"It was reported that, for reasons yet to be established, a van had left the road and went over the cliffs on to the beach below, with one person believed to be inside. Emergency services are in attendance and enquiries are ongoing." The North East Ambulance Service also released a statement earlier, saying: "We were called to the Marsden area at 6.10am following concerns for a person.

We dispatched a clinical team leader and one ambulance crew." The other emergency services present at the location - Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, HM Coastguard, and Tynemouth RNLI - have verified this information, with the RNLI noting: "We launched this morning to a multi-agency call."

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References

1. ^ cliff in South Shields (www.examinerlive.co.uk)
2. ^ Chronicle Live (www.chroniclelive.co.uk)
3. ^ signing up to our newsletter here. (www.examinerlive.co.uk)