Why is it so dangerous to visit Brancaster shipwreck?

BBC News

03-05-2025

A decaying shipwreck has been an intriguing sight on the picturesque north Norfolk coast for 80 years.But while it may be tempting to explore, the SS Vina becomes a death trap at high tide, as it was in the case of a man last summer.As a coroner calls for greater safety measures, the BBC looks at the wreck's history and why it is not worth risking a closer look.
What is the SS Vina?
Built in Scotland at the end of the 19th Century, the SS Vina started out as a cargo ship running between England's east coast and the Baltic.Dr Harry Bennett, an associate honorary professor at the University of Plymouth and an expert in World War Two history, said it was "clapped out" as a merchant ship by the start of the conflict.By 1940, it was brought to a Norfolk port, filled with concrete and explosives and used as a blockade."If the German forces ever decided to rock up at Great Yarmouth, she would prevent access," said Dr Bennett."In 1943 or '44, when the threat of invasion had passed, she was requisitioned by the Ministry of War Transport."The RAF was preparing for D-Day and they would practise shooting at targets, and bombing off the coast, and that's what she became; she was simply a target."She was towed to Brancaster, a remote area where it was much safer for practice as there was less chance of the good citizens of Norfolk being shot in the process."Eventually, full of holes, she would have sunk."It is now partly submerged off Scolt Head Island and can be reached on foot from Brancaster beach.
Why is exploring it so dangerous?
Brancaster is known for its seemingly endless stretch of sand, the North Sea a faint glimmer on the horizon at low tide. It draws thousands of visitors in the summer months.The National Trust, which owns the land, has signs at the car park and at all access points to Brancaster beach to warn of the dangers of the tides and going near the wreck. At low tide, however, there is nothing preventing anyone walking over to the heavily corroded, sea-worn hulks of metal that once formed the SS Vina - despite it being extremely perilous to do so.As the tide turns, the wreck site floods at a rapid rate, cutting off the means of escape. Dr Bennett said the shifting sands, tides, currents and channels were "always on the move" and approaching the wreck was "incredibly dangerous".The deceptive beauty of the coastline possibly put holidaymakers, without that local knowledge, at greater risk, he said."If you are on coast, you have to be careful and know your business, your tides - the water comes in very quickly," he said."It is not static, and you are just not going to out-pace that incoming tide."Last summer, 74-year-old Raymond Mills was taking a closer look at the wreck when the tide came in. He went under the water and drowned.The BBC approached the HM Coastguard and RNLI for a comment.Both said information on call-outs to SS Vina was not readily available but urged anyone visiting any tidal area to check tide times.
What do locals think?
"I don't think people realise how quick the tide comes in; people are not aware of it," said a man from Brancaster, who did not want to be named. "It's been there since the Second World War and it's been going on [people visiting the wreck] all my life."It's not uncommon. I think all locals would say the same."Another resident, who also wanted to remain anonymous, said she was wary of drawing attention to the SS Vina."There are warning signs in the area," she said."One year the wreck is exposed, and the next it is covered in sand and you can't really put a [warning] sign on the wreck."Aerial photographer John Fielding regularly flies over Brancaster. He said it gave him a safe view of the wreck and a real sense of the inherent risks."When I first heard there was a shipwreck at Scolt Head Island, I thought it was like something out of Robinson Crusoe," he said."From the air, you can see how dangerous it is to approach on foot."I have photographed people there. They think they will get back [to the beach] but you can see how the tide comes and cuts them off; the sea comes in behind them."
What will happen to it now?
Norfolk senior coroner Samantha Goward, who investigated the circumstances of Mr Mills's death, wants the wreck's owner to look at safety and management, to help prevent future tragedies.The problem is, it is unclear who is responsible. During World War Two, the wreck was owned and managed by the Ministry of War Transport, which no longer exists, but what happened next is a mystery.The Department for Transport is making inquiries and is due to respond to the coroner. Dr Bennett thinks the curious will continue to be drawn to SS Vina; its removal is almost certainly too difficult and expensive to be a serious consideration."There is an interest in the Second World War, the role of the Brancaster estate in D-Day, and people want to engage with it," he added."For some, it's a waymarker on the beach - 'Let's walk to that wreck, then head back again.'"I don't know why you would want to do that; nothing is worth the risk."People who blog about it and tweet about it need to make it clear that this is a dangerous part of the world and [it is] an incredibly dangerous thing to do."In a statement, the National Trust said it "continued to work with our partner organisations to manage visitor safety at Brancaster beach".It added: "We would like to take this opportunity to remind all those visiting the coast to be aware of the power of the water and that tides can quickly change, and to read safety signage, which is present at all access points to the beach."
With additional reporting by Aimee Dexter
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