Cliff faller at Swanage - an unusual rescue

Coastguard rescue teams are trained and equipped to undertake rope rescues but yesterday's rescue of a faller near St Albans Head was a little unusual.  The gentleman involved was 300 feet below the coastal path in an inaccessible area.  While walking with a friend some way down from the top of the cliff, the ground gave way underhim and he was pinned with a rock.  Fortunately, his friend was able to make a 999 call to emergency services on a mobile.

When St Albans and Swanage Coastguard Rescue Teams arrived on scene they were joined by other rescue speicialists from Dorset Fire and Rescue and Southwest Ambulance service.

The Coastguard  Rescue Helicopter from Portland was needed to winch the rescuers down to the casualty as well as Dorset Fire and Rescue's hydraulic lifting equipment.  Ten rescue personnel were taken down to the casualty during the operation to extract the man.






The Coastguard Rescue Helicopter returned to winch the casualty and their winchman up and the casualty was transferrred to Dorchester County Hospital.






After the causualty was quickly transferred to hospital there were nine people down the cliff and a significant amount of equipment to be lifted to safety.  The weather was changing and a lightning storm hit the area. Two of the Coastguard Rescue Team members made their way up to the top with ropes and the Coastguard rescue helicopter from Solent was used to bring the other people back up along with the equipment by 11.20pm.

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