A large-scale emergency response was triggered at Southend Pier on Thursday night, May 21, 2026, after witnesses reported seeing two men jump from the landmark structure into the sea.
Essex Police, the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust, and the RNLI Southend Lifeboat were dispatched at 10:25 p.
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m. for a time-critical search operation along the 1.3-mile pier.
Southend Coastguard officers and police personnel searched the end of the pier and the surrounding water, while a National Police Air Service helicopter conducted an aerial sweep.
Rescuers also utilized a Southend Hovercraft to inspect hard-to-see areas underneath the pier structure, but the joint operation was stood down after no individuals were located in the water or on the mud flats.
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Rise in Tombstoning Incidents
"We would like to thank the Pier & Foreshore security officer and RNLI for assisting our officers on and around the Pier," said HM Coastguard Southend On Sea.
The agency previously noted a recent rise in people, particularly teenagers, jumping from local piers and jetties in an activity known as tombstoning.
According to HM Coastguard Southend, the most frequent cases of tombstoning occur at Barge Pier on Garrison, Gilson Pier on Marine Parade, and Bell Wharf at Old Leigh.
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Officials stated that despite warning signs and restricted access, these structures are frequently vandalized, hiding dangerous tidal flows and submerged risks.
