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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Car plunges over Cornish cliffs | Car plunges over Cornish cliffs |
| (about 14 hours 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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." | "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 | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. |