Man risks life to take storm selfie in front of 12ft waves
The shot was taken in Scarborough, East Yorkshire, England, amid a storm that sent violent 12 foot high waves smashing into the sea wall.
Just seconds after the selfie was taken the man, thought to be in his 30s, was almost swept into the sea according to photographer Michael Knaggs, metro. co.uk wrote.
Scarborough Coastguard has issued a warning in the wake of the incident at 10:30 a.m. on February 6, saying such risky acts could easily cost someone their life.
Knaggs, 60, who lives in Scarborough, said, “I looked at the forecast and tide table that morning and knew the waves would be big.
“I hadn’t been there long when the man walked past me towards the path, I thought ‘my god what’s he doing?’
“Suddenly he hopped on to the sea wall and started taking a picture, I couldn’t believe it.
“Two seconds later a big wave came down on him and I thought he’d gone, I was getting ready to call the coastguard. “Then he walked away along the path and disappeared. It was very cold and very windy that day.
“If he had gone in the wash would have taken him out to sea and he wouldn’t have survived.
“It would have taken the coastguard at least five minutes to get here and that would have been too long, I’m sure. “I think he was lucky.” A global study last year revealed that 259 people died taking selfies between 2011 and 2017.
Incidents in the UK have been on the rise in recent years too.
A coastguard spokesman said, “No picture or thrill is worth risking your life for.
“It only takes a few inches of fast moving water to knock you from your feet and you being potentially swept into the sea.
“Once in the cold water, no matter how well you can swim, between cold shock and the action of the waves, survival time would likely only be a few minutes.”