Hob Hole – floodwater search for car occupants

Tuesday 12th January 2021

We were contacted at 0031 hours by North Yorkshire Police requesting our assistance at Hob Hole approximately two-miles west of Castleton following a report of a vehicle partially submerged in flood waters at the ford.

A number of Team members were deployed including ten of our Swift Water Rescue Technicians (SRTs) who are trained and equipped to deal with water and flood rescues. Two Team Land Rovers and our Incident Control Vehicle were dispatched from our Base whilst other members made their own way there from home.

Upon arrival the Police asked us to check that there was no-one in the car. Due to the force of the water our SRTs were unable to enter the water but searched from the nearby footbridge using long reach poles. Once reasonably satisfied that the car was empty the SRTs working in teams of five carried out a bank side search immediately downstream of the car. After a few hours with nothing found and in liaison with the Police our search parties stood-down for the night pending further enquiries by the Police and any further requests from them for assistance. We are not aware of the circumstances of the journey. Road closure signs were put in place at around 0430 hours.

Twenty-two Team members were deployed on the incident that lasted approximately five hours. Two Team Members spent a further two hours later that day cleaning the vehicles and water equipment.