Man killed at cliffs in base jump tragedy
A MAN fell to his death from a 700ft cliff in Co Clare after a problem arose with his parachute.
The victim was named locally yesterday as Malcolm Rowley from Bantry. It is understood that he was a sky dive enthusiast.
Three men had gone to Aill Na Searrach, part of the Cliffs of Moher range, early yesterday morning to undertake a so-called ‘base jump’ – jumping from a fixed structure or cliff while wearing a parachute or wingsuit.
The first man safely completed his jump but the victim fell onto the rocks below.
It wasn’t immediately known whether his parachute had failed to open or if it had deployed too late for him to make a safe landing. The alarm was raised at 7am when the third man, who had been observing from the cliff top, called the ambulance service. An ambulance from Ennistymon and rapid-response advanced paramedic unit from Ennis rushed to the scene.
When it became clear that the man was at the base of a cliff, the Irish Coast Guard was also alerted. The Doolin-based unit was tasked along with the Shannon-based search and rescue helicopter, Rescue 115.
The Coast Guard rescue boat was able to get close enough to the cliff base to allow three members, one of whom is a doctor, make their way ashore.
Ambulance service paramedics and Coast Guard members also made their way to the cliff base
The first jumper is understood to have attempted to resuscitate the seriously injured man by administering CPR.
The casualty was flown to University Hospital Galway but was pronounced dead.
The two other men were reported to have been badly shaken by the incident.
Gardaí at Ennistymon are understood to have taken statements from the men.
A postmortem is expected to be carried out and a file prepared for a coroner’s inquest which will be held at a later date.