COASTGUARD ALERTED TO A CAR OVER THE CLIFF AT PEACEHAVEN


At 4.00 pm this afternoon Ambulance Control alerted Her Majesty’s Coastguard at Solent that a car had gone over the cliff at Telscombe Cliff near Peacehaven near the Badgers Watch pub. The car was now upside down in a rock pool and one occupant could be seen.

The Newhaven, Shoreham and Birling Gap Coastguard Rescue Teams were immediately called out to assist initially with their Cliff Rescue Equipment and securing a helicopter landing site close by.  They were also joined by Sussex Police and Ambulance personnel at the scene of the incident.  Sussex Fire and Rescue were also alerted and the Coastguard rescue helicopter R 104 from Lee on Solent was scrambled.

Colin Griffiths, Duty Watch manager at Solent Coastguard said

“The aircraft crews have been busy ferrying both Coastguards and Fire and Rescue officers with cutting equipment from the top to the bottom of the cliff enabling the rescue services to extract the casualty and confirm that only one person was involved in the incident.  The individual was airlifted to the cliff top and taken to hospital with life threatening injuries.”  

All cutting equipment and personnel have now been returned to the cliff top and further investigation into the incident is being conducted by Sussex Police.

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