A young man was airlifted from the rocks off Saltdean beach after slipping and badly breaking his ankle yesterday evening.
The Newhaven Coastguard was called at 7.19pm to rocks near Saltdean Lido after the man slipped, seriously injuring his ankle and also banging his head.
It was deemed too dangerous to stretcher the 20-year-old casualty and so the Coastguard Rescue Helicopter was used to winch him from the rocks and land him on the promenade where an ambulance was waiting.
Tonight: Rescue helicopter over Saltdean Clifftop / Undercliff Walk 04/07/2016 #Saltdean #Brighton #Rottingdean pic.twitter.com/z2mkrKA4Qn
— Saltdean Zone (@SaltdeanZone) July 4, 2016
Video courtesy of The Saltdean Zone
The Newhaven Coastguard said: “Paramedics were with the casualty when we arrived. The casualty had sustained a serious ankle injury and also banged their head during a slip.
“The casualty was located a considerable distance from the eastern end of the promenade. Walking the casualty out on a stretcher was considered and our flank team from Shoreham were paged to assist.
“After reassessment It was considered too dangerous for both the casualty and the Coastguard team to carry the casualty out on a stretcher due to the distance and terrain with a high risk of further injury to the casualty or to a Coastguard Rescue Officer
“Coastguard Rescue helicopter 163 was tasked and once on scene winched the casualty from the rocks and landed on the promenade where the casualty was handed into the care of to a waiting land ambulance.”
A spokeswoman for South East Coast Ambulance Service said: “We were called at approximately 6.45pm yesterday evening to reports a 20-year-old man had fallen on the rocks near the Lido at Saltdean.
“We dispatched an ambulance car and an ambulance crew to the scene. Coastguard was also involved in the rescue and air ambulance was alerted. The man suffered an open leg and ankle fracture and was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital for emergency treatment to his leg.”
Coast guard to the rescue again,but was this casualty under the influence of a few to many drinks, and if so, one hopes that he gets the bill?
Here a word from the rescued chap : I was absolutely sober and was just cross walking, when the accident happend. But what I can say is, thank goodness, that there are nice people in England who are willing to help. Thank you very much to all of you boys and girls who helped me. You did a great job, even more than this. This was the good luck, when the badly accident happend to me. Thank you so much.