By Jake Lanning, West Bay Coastguard 


In the UK, we are fortunate to have some of the most beautiful coastlines in the world.

Mother nature is pretty awe-inspiring and it’s not surprising we want to capture that picture-perfect moment when we see it. But would you want to give your life for a selfie?

As coastguards, we don’t want to encase everyone in health and safety labelled bubble wrap. Nor do we want to be the constant voice of doom from the corner pointing out the potential dangers of everything.

We want people to visit the coast and have a fantastic time doing it. All that we ask is that people are responsible, use good judgment, common sense, and take home only happy memories.

When I was young, did I ever stray too close to the edge of the cliff? Yes I did. Would I now as an adult and father of two young boys? Absolutely not! Why take the risk?


In June last year, South Korean student Hyewon Kim was visiting the Seven Sisters cliffs in East Sussex. She handed her smartphone to a stranger and asked if they would take her photo. She positioned herself near the edge of the cliff and jumped in the air smiling happily at the camera. It was the last photo ever taken of her alive.

HM Coastguard helped recover her body from the beach below after she’d fallen 200ft suffering catastrophic injuries. Hyewon was just 23-years-old.


The next time you are positioning yourself for that perfect photo, take a breath and take stock. Look up from your camera or phone and really see the environment that surrounds you. Ask yourself the question, ‘is this photo really worth risking my life?’

Some things are better captured in the imagination. 
For more information, visit www.gov.uk/coastguardsafety