A major rescue operation swung into action in Whitby this afternoon (Thursday, 1 January).
It happened at around midday on on West Cliff near North Terrace.
Emergency services were called to reports of a person in distress near the foot of the cliff at high tide.
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North Terrace, Whitby
Two RNLI lifeboats were launched and Coastguard teams along with the search and rescue helicopter was requested.
Whitby Coastguard said: “Shortly after midday, the team were tasked to reports of a young male casualty who had become trapped by the incoming tide below the West Cliff area.
“On arrival, it was immediately clear that a full rope rescue setup would be required to reach the casualty, who was positioned approximately 70–80m below.
“To ensure a safe and secure operation in this urban environment, the Officer in Charge requested assistance from North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service (Whitby), making use of their fire appliance as a holdfast when traditional anchor points were not suitable.
“Further support was requested from Coastguard Rescue Helicopter 912 from Humberside. With an estimated flight time of around 45 minutes, the decision was made to deploy a cliff technician to reach and secure the casualty without delay.
“Despite challenging terrain, and a rising tide line causing a lot of water against the cliffs, the cliff tech successfully reached the casualty and brought them into the safety of the rope rescue system.
“Working together, fire crews and Coastguard rope teams recovered both casualty and technician back to the top of the cliff.”
Cold and wet but otherwise well, the casualty was handed into the care of Yorkshire Ambulance Service for a warm up and further checks.
“Accidents happen, and in this instance, the casualty did exactly the right thing by remaining in place and waiting for help. Checking tide times before heading out remains essential for everyone visiting our coastline.”
A North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service spokesperson said: “Crews from Whitby and Scarborough responded to a request from the coastguard to assist with the rescue of a casualty who had become stranded on rocks at the foot of a cliff.
“Crews liaised with and assisted coastguard teams to access the casualty before bringing them to safety. The casualty was left in the care of ambulance crews.”
