Dog walker dies after being swept out to sea during Storm Boelo

A woman who died after being swept out to sea while walking her dog during Storm Boelo has been pictured. Sal Galloway, 59, was walking on the path between Sandown and Shanklin on the Isle of Wight when she was swept into the sea by waves during the storm. It is believed that Ms Galloway was swept into the Channel at around 11.15am on Monday. An emergency operation involving police and the Coastguard Rescue Service was launched, but they were unable to save her.

Family and friends have shared tributes on social media to Ms Galloway, who had a passion for scooters and soul music. One of her cousins said: “RIP to my beautiful cousin Sal Galloway. I can’t believe I’m writing this. Fly high my darling xxx.” A friend said: “Rest in peace my dear friend Sal Galloway, didn’t see you much but you were a lovely lady. Always had time for everyone. Condolences to your family and friends. And bloody hell did you have a lot of them.”

“Very sad news to hear that a very close friend has passed away,” another friend said. My childhood best friend. Will miss you.” Britain was battered by Storm Austen and Storm Boelo at the weekend, and conditions were still dangerous on Monday. The Coastguard Rescue Service dispatched a helicopter from its base at Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire, carrying out an aerial search of the waters off Sandown and Lake, while a lifeboat from Bembridge’s RNLI also joined the operation.

The woman’s body was recovered from the water to the south of Sandown Pier shortly after midday. The dangers of the Isle of Wight’s coastline have been brought into focus after the weekend of severe weather, with large waves and strong winds even after the worst of the storms had passed. Hampshire Police said in a statement: “At 11.17am yesterday, our Isle of Wight Ambulance Service partners informed us of a concern for the welfare of a woman in the water at Lake.

“We attended the scene to assist our IOWAS and HM Coastguard partners. “The woman, aged in her 50s, was brought out of the water. Sadly, despite the very best efforts of all emergency services in attendance, she was pronounced deceased at the scene. Her next of kin have been updated and a file will now be prepared for the coroner.” On Monday afternoon, the Isle of Wight council issued a coastal safety warning, urging residents and visitors to exercise extreme caution around the island’s beaches, sea walls and exposed coastal paths.

People were advised to keep away from sea walls, slipways, cliff edges and exposed coastal paths. The council has also warned people not to turn their backs on the sea and to avoid walking or taking photographs near rough water. More than 82,000 properties have been left without power after Storm Boelo battered parts of the UK. The second named storm in two days brought gusts of 85mph in Scotland and up to 70mph in other areas of the country.

Engineers tackling the severe weather reconnected 344,900 customers to power but 82,6000 remained disconnected, the Energy Networks Association said on Sunday morning. The death comes after two men were killed by falling trees from Storm Boelo. A man in his 20s died after a tree fell on his car in Finchley, north London, on Sunday and a 60-year-old was also killed by a falling tree near Castle Douglas in Dumfries and Galloway on the same day.