Scarcity of burial land in the UK popularises sea-burial
November 18, 2008
When you face a ‘grave’ problem, here is an alternative. Just go for sea-burial. That is exactly what is happening in the UK. As grave space is getting scarcer, the alternative sea-burial is gaining popularity. At two locations off the British coast- near Isle of Wight and Newhaven in East Sussex, more and more people are opting for a watery send-off.
As many as 14 sea burials have taken place this year and the number is expected to grow in future. Cost wise, sea burial is much costlier than its counterpart at £4000 per head. Traditional burial in a grave yard costs around £2000 a head.
John Lister of the Britannia Shipping Company in Devon said; “We charter a boat on the Isle of Wight, from where family and friends are taken to a designated burial point where the coffin is lowered into the sea from a mechanical ramp.”
His company has already collected deposits from 150 people, who have left instructions to carry out a sea burial.
Mr. John added: “We are now seeing more hobby sailors and people who have moved to the coast and love the sea. It has captured the imagination and has a certain romance about it.”
To create more burial space, the government now plans to exhume remains in graveyards and rebury them deeper. This effort is first of its kind since the Victorian days.
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