Man dies after 'tombstoning' jump

ClactonA middle-aged man drowned and another was seriously injured when they jumped into the sea off a pier in Essex, in a stunt known as "tombstoning".

The two men - both believed to be in their 40s - were found face-down in the sea by lifeboat crews after jumping off a pier at Clacton, Essex, on Saturday.

Emergency services were alerted at about 1830 BST when five men, fully clothed, reportedly leapt in.

Police said they were not treating the incident as suspicious.

But police added they were preparing a report for a coroner.

"The report was of five middle-aged men jumping off Clacton Pier into the sea," said a spokesman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

"Two men were reported to be unconscious in the water."

'Not getting message'

The pair were flown to hospital. One died and the other is now in intensive care.

Tombstoning - the practice of jumping off cliffs, piers, harbour walls or other high points into the sea - has claimed a number of lives across the UK in recent years.

Link & Image: BBC
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