- An Amazon van got stuck on the Broomway tidal path in Essex after following GPS directions
- The driver abandoned the van and reported the incident to Amazon for vehicle extraction
- HM Coastguard Southend responded and later removed the van from the mudflats safely
An Amazon driver was forced to abandon their van on Sunday (Feb 15) after following GPS directions straight into the rising tide of the Broomway. Known locally as the "deadliest footpath in Britain," the 600-year-old tidal track in Essex is notoriously dangerous and leads to Foulness Island, a restricted Ministry of Defence weapons-testing site.
HM Coastguard Southend responded to the scene at Great Wakering after the vehicle became submerged in the mudflats.
"HM Coastguard Southend were called out this morning to reports that an Amazon Delivery Van had driven via Wakering Stairs onto The Broomway, which is a 600-year-old 6-mile 'walking' path out into the Thames Estuary, following a GPS route to take it onto Foulness Island," read the statement.
"The delivery driver had removed themselves from the van and reported the incident to Amazon. Amazon have arranged with a local farmer to extract the vehicle this afternoon."
After the driver's safety was ensured, the vehicle was removed by the Coast Guard officers, later in the day. The Coastguard informed that the correct route onto Foulness Island was via the left barrier via the Qinetiq security office.
At least 100 people have previously drowned trying to cross the area, although none in modern times. Until 1922, when a bridge was built to connect the two, the Broomway, named after the brooms in the sand that used to mark the route, was the only way on and off Foulness Island.
An Amazon delivery van became stuck on the historic Broomway path in Essex after the driver followed GPS instructions into rising tide waters.
'Common Sense Should Have Kicked In'
As the story went viral, social media users questioned the Amazon driver for not backing up upon seeing the water body.
"I thought this was fake when I saw a post of high tide. How can someone be so thick?" said one user while another added: "Upon seeing the water, shouldn't common sense have kicked in at some point."
A third commented: "That's why I stopped using sat nav. Years ago, en route to Heathrow, I was driving to a hotel, staying over the night before. Going round a roundabout with the hotel visible across fields, my sat nav decided to tell me to "cut across" the field. Not used one since!"
