Rescue services called to scene of horror cliff fall
THERE were dramatic scenes in Dingle on Monday evening as Valentia Coast Guard co-ordinated a lengthy rescue mission after a man fell some 20 to 30 feet down a ledge on the lighthouse-side of Bín Bán outside the town.
A Valentia Coastguard spokesperson told The
Kerryman they received a call-out at approximately 4.50pm after two walkers noticed the man, who is believed to be local.
Valentia tasked the Dingle Coast Guard unit to the scene, and Rescue Helicopter 115 was called from Shannon.
“We requested an ambulance and called Gardaí to the scene,” the spokesperson said. “We called in the Dingle Coast Guard unit, who are also a cliff-climbing team.
“One of the walkers who had spotted the man initially thought they could not access him, but they managed to make it down to try and help him.
“He had sustained hip and ankle injuries. He also took a blow to the head, but was still conscious.”
Gardaí co-ordinated traffic near the scene, and requested members of the public to move their cars to facilitate the rescue effort.
The Dingle Coast Guard deployed their inshore rescue boat to the scene and their rescue climbers made the descent down the cliff-face. The Valentia spokesperson said that up to 20 members of the Dingle unit were involved in the rescue mission.
Once they accessed the injured party, they began to treat him. He was placed on a stretcher and airlifted to University Hospital Kerry.
“The operation took ages,” the spokesperson said.
“The helicopter eventually landed in Tralee at about 7.25pm. It was low on fuel at that time, so they dropped off the winch man and the winch operation with the casualty and they flew to Kerry Airport then to refuel before returning.”
The helicopter returned to Shannon at around 9pm, some four hours after the rescue mission had begun. The man’s injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.