Lucky escape for angler after Ardglass cliff tumble

Lucky escape for angler after Ardglass cliff tumble

11 July 2012 - by Joanne Fleming

A DOWNPATRICK man is recovering at home after coming close to death after a fall from cliffs while on a fishing trip to Ardglass on Saturday afternoon.

The 57 year-old man was on cliffs near Sheepland when he fell 25 feet onto rocks and then tumbled into the sea. He was rescued by his son who was with him and airlifted to the Musgrave Park Hospital by the Irish Coastguard helicopter.

Portaferry lifeboat and the South Down Coastguard team were also involved in the rescue which occurred shortly after 3pm.

By the time Portaferry lifeboat reached the scene the injured man was back on the rocks but the RNLI personnel were unable to reach him.

South Down Coastguard officers decided it would be extremely difficult to extract the man back up the cliffs because of his injuries so it was decided the helicopter would be used.

He suffered injuries to his back, neck, shoulder and chest, but after spending two nights in hospital he was discharged on Monday.

Philip Keenan, from the South Down Coastguard, said the man was lucky to not be more seriously hurt. He explained that the Sheepland Harbour area was attractive to those wanting to fish, but deceptively dangerous.

“The rocks there are razor sharp,” he said. “A lot of the coastline around Ardglass, people just don’t realise how sharp the rocks are if they lose their footing,” he said.

South Down MP Margaret Ritchie, praised the Coastguard’s work and extended wishes for the injured man’s recovery.

“I am delighted that the man involved was speedily rescued, though I understand he appears to have suffered impact injuries, so I would like to send my prayers and good wishes to him and his family and hope that he makes a good recovery,” she said.

“I would also like to pay huge tribute to the Irish coastguard and the Belfast coastguard for their swift and decisive action and thank them for their work.

“Were it not for this cross-border effort, we might be facing a very different story and it backs up my passionate belief that we must retain strong, effective coastguard services North and South and make sure that they work in close harmony with one another.”

The previous evening the South Down Coastguard cliff rescue team helped a man who had become stranded on cliffs south of Newcastle.

The middle aged man had climbed partially down the cliff to a ledge near the Blue Quarry but became trapped, unable to move up or down. He was spotted by passers by who called the emergency services.

The Coastguard team and members of the PSNI from Newcastle took part in the operation to bring him to the top of the cliff before he was transferred to a waiting ambulance. He was uninjured by suffering from exposure.

Newcastle’s inshore and all weather lifeboats were also launched and stood by offshore during the rescue operation.