When was the Morecambe Bay cockle pickers disaster?

5 February 2004
Twenty-three Chinese cockle pickers drowned after being trapped by incoming tides off the Lancashire coast on the evening of 5 February 2004, with a further 15 surviving.

What is a cockle picker?

Quick Reference. Or cocklers gather shellfish (cockles) from the sand at low tide. This traditional British occupation attained notoriety in 2004 when 23 Chinese migrant workers, hired as cocklepickers were drowned in Morecambe Bay in Lancashire.

How many Chinese died in Morecambe Bay?

The Morecambe Bay cockling disaster (Chinese: 拾貝慘案 Shí bèi cǎn’àn, “cockle-picking tragedy”) occurred on the evening of 5 February 2004 at Morecambe Bay in North West England, when at least 21 Chinese illegal immigrant labourers were drowned by an incoming tide after picking cockles off the Lancashire coast.

How many Chinese cockle pickers died at Morecambe Bay?

The tragedy shocked the nation, the deaths of those 23 cockle pickers in Morecambe Bay on February 5, 2004, revealing the seedy underbelly of slavery here in Britain.

What months Can you pick cockles?

Cockles are a Benthic (sea bed residing), crustacean, found in saltwater. Cockles are hand gathered or light dredged and MSC certification is available. Cockles are most abundant from September to April.

What happened at Morecambe Bay?

In March 2015, the Morecambe Bay investigation, chaired by Dr Bill Kirkup, published its report into serious failures in care that led to the avoidable deaths of 11 babies and a mother at Furness General Hospital (FGH) between 2004 and 2012. One of the babies that died was my own son, Joshua.

How fast does the tide come in at Morecambe Bay?

The Bay is broad and relatively shallow with a large tidal range of up to 10.5 metres at spring tides and a flood tide that rushes into the Bay with the speed of ‘a good horse’. Tidal bores can reach speeds of up to 9 knots and can cover an area the size of a football pitch in minutes.

Is it bad to eat cockles?

Due to the low caloric intake, cockles are an ally of diet food. Unfortunately, like other shellfish, they are a source of considerable doses of cholesterol: a molecule essential for the body, but when taken in excessive amounts can impair cardiovascular health.

How many cockles are you allowed?

“This is one of the single largest seizures of cockles in NSW in recent years. “There is a bag limit of 50 cockles per person per day, and the maximum penalty for exceeding this limit is an $11,000 fine and/or three months jail.

What is the Morecambe Bay scandal?

Major care failures were linked to at least 12 deaths of mothers and babies at the hospital between 2004 and 2012 in what became known as the Morecambe Bay scandal. Ms Ford added the CQC’s report made for “disappointing reading” and said it was clear the trust needed support.

Is Morecambe Bay Safe?

Morecambe Bay is a treacherous place. The combination of fast tides, quicksands, draining rivers, shifting channels and sheer unpredictability has trapped the unwary for centuries. Eventually all that water drained into the bay at Arnside.

Is it safe to swim in Morecambe Bay?

Morecambe North Beach Swimming: Yes (dependant on tides), but need to be aware of dangers (rip tides, strong currents etc.) No lifeguard cover but beach patrol officers on duty to oversee public safety. Refreshments: Closest are Clock Tower café, ice cream on promenade.

How did the cockle pickers die in Morecambe Bay?

The 21 cockle pickers who were killed in Morecambe Bay in February died from drowning, an inquest has heard. Among those who perished were an 18-year-old man and a husband and wife, Lancashire Police revealed on Tuesday.

Where did Chinese cockle pickers die 10 years ago?

A decade ago 23 Chinese cockle pickers drowned when they were trapped by sweeping tides while working in Morecambe Bay, Lancashire.

Who was responsible for the cockling disaster in Morecambe Bay?

David Anthony Eden, Sr., and David Anthony Eden, Jr., a father and son from England, had allegedly arranged to pay a group of Chinese workers £5 per 25 kg (9p per lb) of cockles. The Chinese had been trafficked via containers into Liverpool, and were hired out through local criminal agents of international Chinese Triads.

Where can I find cockles in Morecambe Bay?

The cockles to be collected are best found at low tide on sand flats at Warton Sands, near Hest Bank. The Chinese workers were unfamiliar with local geography, language, and custom.