Coastguard Rescue Teams rescue man clinging by fingertips on cliff


A man who was clinging onto a cliff by his fingertips in south Devon has been rescued by Coastguard Rescue Teams.

The man who works for a local holiday park, stumbled and fell from the top of the cliff at Challaborough. He had managed to stop himself from falling and was holding on about three metres from the top. A fall would have almost certainly have been fatal.

A caller phoned 999 after they heard the man shouting and could see him struggling at the cliff edge.

Bigbury, Hope Cove and Yealm teams were all sent to the scene and carried out a rope rescue around 2am on Saturday (20 October).

Jon Kendray, senior coastal operations officer with HM Coastguard said: ‘This was undoubtedly a moment when a life was saved. The teams worked quickly and efficiently, rescuing this man who was hoarse after shouting for help for so long. He wasn’t hurt but he was no long able to speak.’

‘This shows how dangerous cliffs can be and how important it is to be careful to keep well back. This could so easily have ended differently but the caller did exactly the right thing by calling 999 and asking for the Coastguard.’


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