At about 5.15pm Fire and Rescue, Cliff Rescue, the Coastguard and police were called to an incident at the cliffs by Fort George. A boy, thought to be in his early teens, was out playing with his friend around the rocks near the base of the cliff, when he became trapped in a location about 10 metres above the beach.
Cliff Rescue volunteer commander Barny Hamon said the ledge which the youngster had used to climb into the cave-like bunker, had collapsed behind him. He was unharmed, but left stranded on the side of the cliff, facing a sheer drop to the beach.
‘Using a rocket rope system, our plan is to lower one of our guys over the top, find him, pick him up and then lower them down safely to the beach, where the lifeboat is waiting,’ he said.
‘It’s always easier to go down. We do have the facilities to haul them all the way back up, but it’s quite a way. Luckily, the weather’s good, and the tide is in, so this is the safest and easiest option.’
Chief fire officer Les Britzman, who was also at the scene, said the rescue was a good example of multi-agency working. The Coastguard had used its drone to give all the emergency services in attendance a clear visual while they co-ordinated a plan.
‘It’s quite a technically difficult rescue,’ said Mr Britzman.
‘They’re about 100 metres down, and it’s difficult access with all the overgrowth and rocks on the cliff.
‘The team are obviously well-trained, and they’ve done it in a very professional way. And it’s been very effective working with the lifeboat and Coastguard. There’s good, multi-agency working, in a very controlled way.’
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