Pair rescued from 6,000 miles away

21/09/11

By Natalie Thomas

A British couple are being rescued after their mobile home became trapped down a Brazilian ravine.

The pair have a relative in Sussex to thank for their escape, after they contacted local coastguards.

The two 60-year-olds from London rang a family member in Eastbourne from a secluded part of the Amazon rainforest, about 200 miles away from the Brazilian city of Manaus.

Dover Coastguard, who the relative telephoned, then passed on details of the incident to Falmouth Coastguard - the UK coastguard base which liaises with international counterparts.

Coastguards in Falmouth then alerted the appropriate authority in Brazil, Maritime and Coastguard Agency's (MCA) Fred Caygill said.

Mr Caygill said the pair had been on a four-year trip around South America, and were not hurt in the incident.

He said this was not the first time the MCA had assisted in an international rescue.

"This is a bit unusual for us as it's not of a maritime nature, but there are no boundaries in search and rescue," he said.