Man missing, 10 trapped in sea cave drama

A massive air and sea search was launched today for a man swept out to sea after a group of 11 people became cut off by the tide while camping in a shore-side cave.

British coastguard cliff rescue teams were meanwhile attempting to rescue the rest of the party, who remain trapped.

A Royal Navy rescue helicopter was assisting the search, led by Falmouth Coastguard, for the missing 27-year-old who was last seen at about 8am.

Police land search teams, lifeboats and a coastguard helicopter were also involved in the search, centred on Barrowfields, north of Newquay in Cornwall.

A spokesman for Falmouth Coastguard said: ‘‘A group of 11 people camped out at a cave were cut off by the tide.

‘‘One was swept out to sea and a cliff rescue is in progress to extract the others who remain trapped.’’

A coastguard spokesman said the trapped campers were not in imminent danger as the cave was unlikely to be submerged.

Rescuers would abseil down to rescue the group one at a time. ‘‘They are relatively safe at the moment,’’ he said.

A Royal Navy spokeswoman said 40 knot winds were hampering the search.

She said: ‘‘The navy search and rescue aircraft was called to the scene and is assisting the search.

‘‘Weather conditions aren’t helping the search.’’

A coastguard spokesman said the operation to rescue the 10 people in the cave at the bottom of the granite cliffs was also being made more difficult by the weather.

‘‘It’s pouring with rain with gale force winds, it’s horrible down here which isn’t making things any easier.’’