Car in cliff-plunge tragedy probe ‘was travelling at over 30mph’

The blue Renault Scenic was seen to drive off the edge of Culver Down cliffs near Bembridge, Isle of Wight, just after 8pm on Wednesday before crashing on to the beach below.

The bodies of a woman in her 40s and a man in his 50s, who both lived on the island, were thrown from the vehicle.

The speed at which the car was travelling meant it did not hit any of the cliff on its way down, according to Mike Forsyth-Caffrey, sector manager for Isle of Wight Coastguard.

He said: “Solent Coastguard received a 999 call from a person saying they had seen a car from the Culver Haven car park disappear over the fields and over the cliff.

“I think they would have been travelling in excess of 30mph at least.

“From a standing point in the car park they would have overcome the ditch and the barbed wire fence barrier before they have gone over.

“We think it was travelling at a fair lick because it hasn’t hit anything from the cliff as it has fallen down.”

He added that the man was believed to be the driver.

Emergency services were called at around 8pm and battled against the incoming tide to recover the pair from the car, Solent Coastguard said. Teams of coastguard rescuers assisted by firefighters, ambulance crews, police and the coastguard helicopter were scrambled.

A Hampshire and Isle of Wight police spokesman said that immediate next-of-kin of the two deceased had been informed.

Inspector Colin Hall, of Hampshire and Isle of Wight police, said: “Our investigation is focused on the couple’s behaviour shortly before the car went over the cliff. We must consider every possibility at this early stage but detectives are not looking for anyone else suspected of being responsible for the deaths.”