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Car plunges over Cornish cliffs | Car plunges over Cornish cliffs |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Two people have been airlifted to hospital after their car plunged 75ft (23m) over cliffs at Pendennis Point in Falmouth, Cornwall. | Two people have been airlifted to hospital after their car plunged 75ft (23m) over cliffs at Pendennis Point in Falmouth, Cornwall. |
The Renault Clio containing a man and a woman in their 20s went over the cliffs at about midday. | The Renault Clio containing a man and a woman in their 20s went over the cliffs at about midday. |
An RNAS Culdrose helicopter airlifted the woman to hospital in Truro before returning to rescue the man. | An RNAS Culdrose helicopter airlifted the woman to hospital in Truro before returning to rescue the man. |
Both received head injuries and suspected fractures - but the injuries are not thought to be life threatening. | |
The car is believed to have clipped a hedge before going through a fence and landing on the rocks below. | The car is believed to have clipped a hedge before going through a fence and landing on the rocks below. |
You had to be a mountain goat to get down there Alan Cottle, ambulance paramedic | You had to be a mountain goat to get down there Alan Cottle, ambulance paramedic |
The rescue operation was co-ordinated by Falmouth Coastguard and involved coastguards, ambulance, police, fire brigade and a cliff rescue team. | |
A passer-by who saw the car plunging over the cliffs raised the alarm at Falmouth coastguard station - which is only yards from the crash. | |
Coastguard Ken Bazeley was first on the scene, reaching the injured couple within minutes. | |
He said: "I knew there was an overgrown disused path, because I'd used it only a few days before. | |
"It's brambly and quite precarious, but thankfully I was able to lead the fire brigade and paramedics to the couple." | |
The couple both sustained head injuries and suspected fractures | |
Between 10 and 15 members of the emergency services picked their way down to the car. | |
Mr Bazeley said, despite her injuries, the woman had managed to clamber out of the vehicle. | |
The man had to be freed by Cornwall Fire Brigade. | |
Both were given medical treatment at the scene before they were airlifted to the Royal Cornwall Hospital. | |
Paramedic Alan Cottle said the location of the car had made it a challenging rescue. | Paramedic Alan Cottle said the location of the car had made it a challenging rescue. |
"You had to be a mountain goat to get down there - it was really difficult," he told BBC News. | "You had to be a mountain goat to get down there - it was really difficult," he told BBC News. |
He praised the "huge group exercise" and said the young couple were extremely lucky to be alive. | He praised the "huge group exercise" and said the young couple were extremely lucky to be alive. |
A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police praised the multi-agency rescuers and said it had highlighted the good work the emergency services do together. | A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police praised the multi-agency rescuers and said it had highlighted the good work the emergency services do together. |
An investigation into the cause of the accident is being carried out. | An investigation into the cause of the accident is being carried out. |