By Ralph Barnett

THE ROYAL National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and the Great Britain Diving Federation (GBDF) have joined forces to highlight the issue of tombstoning—the extreme sport of jumping off sea cliffs, piers or high sea walls into the water below—following news that around 70% of all UK pool diving centres and lidos have shut over the past 30 years.

The two organisations are urging the public to be aware of the risks and to find a safe, supervised place to dive instead of jumping from cliffs into the sea.

In recent years the cliffs north of Arbroath have attracted both local and visiting thrill-seekers to risk life and limb by hurling themselves into the rock-strewn gorges below—with some of them even recording their leaps and distributing them on internet websites such as YouTube.

The activity provided partial inspiration for local author Doug Johnstone’s thriller, which begins with the mysterious death of a young boy at the cliffs.

Tommy Yule, coxswain of the local RNLI lifeboat Inchcape, said, “Anyone who tries this sort of thing is not only being very foolish, they are also putting their own lives at risk and those of the lifeboat crews who would have to go to their aid if something goes wrong.

“Kids being kids, they are always going to look for something to do that gives them a bit of a buzz, but I would urge anyone thinking that cliff-jumping is anything other than extremely hazardous should think again.

“The RNLI exists to save lives at sea but the last thing the Arbroath crew wants to be doing is launching to recover the body of some local youngster who has lost his life jumping from the cliffs.

“I think parents have a responsibility here as well, and they should be giving their children guidance about what they should and shouldn’t be doing before someone gets badly hurt or worse.”

RNLI national beach safety manager Steve Wills said, “RNLI lifeguards and volunteer lifeboat crews risk their lives to save others in dangerous situations at sea and they are becoming increasingly concerned about the number of tragic tombstoning incidents that are happening needlessly around the coast and that they, and other rescue organisations, are being called to deal with.

“Diving from a height into the sea can kill, yet there are pool diving centres which offer the thrill of a jump but which have in place the necessary supervision and safety procedures to ensure that people don’t dive to their deaths.

“Recent tombstoning incidents have involved people of all ages and from all walks of life.

“I would urge people to remember that young children often look up to older people and if they see others jumping from a cliff or harbour wall, they might do the same.”

John Whitby of the GBDF added, “Over the last 30 years, we have seen around a 70% decline in the number of pool diving facilities open to the public in the UK, taking away the only safe alternative to cliff jumping.

“I would suggest that anyone who plans to dive into water from a height only uses a pool diving location where it has been tried and tested and where it is as safe as it can be.

“However, the decline in the number of such places means that people are attempting dives at alternative locations, specifically around the coast.

“As a general rule of thumb, jumping from a 10 metre height—about the fifth floor of an office block—requires a water depth of five metres.

“The risks of jumping from cliffs not only involve the depth, density and temperature of the water, but also the speed at which you hit the water.

“From a cliff you are likely to be travelling at speeds of up to 70 miles per hour.

“One minor error when you jump could result in serious injury, or even death.”