Woman killed by waves on Isle of Wight coastal path

A woman in her 50s died in the sea off the Isle of Wight after being swept away from a coastal path, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary said. The incident occurred on the revetment between Sandown and Shanklin, where the woman was walking her dog when she was caught by waves.

The ambulance service alerted officers at 11:17 a.m. on Monday. Police joined HM Coastguard at the scene as rescue operations began. A Coastguard helicopter, ground rescue teams, and an RNLI lifeboat were deployed to the area.

The woman was pulled from the water but pronounced dead. The Isle of Wight County Press reported that her dog survived the incident. Police stated that the woman’s next of kin have been informed and a file is being prepared for the coroner.

Met Office data indicates that recent severe weather contributed to conditions at the location. Storm Austen brought a maximum gust of 69 knots, or about 79 mph, to the Isle of Wight. Later, Storm Boelo saw wind speeds in some exposed areas reach the low 80s mph.

These back-to-back storms caused widespread damage across the United Kingdom over the weekend. Winds exceeding 80 mph and heavy rain led to flooding and building damage. In Brighton, the historic West Pier partially collapsed into the water as it was hit by large waves during Storm Austen. The structure has been derelict since 1975.

Nearly 7,000 homes were left without power as the storms slammed the region. By mid-morning on Friday, millions of people were placed under weather warnings. Flights and trains were cancelled due to the severe conditions.

Experts have noted that a super El Niño pattern may increase the potential for further weather chaos. This phenomenon can disrupt the Arctic polar vortex, allowing colder air to drift south toward Europe and North America. The effect also heightens the likelihood of wet weather, stormy conditions, and flooding.