Titahi Bay cliff rescue: man falls 20 meters off cliff, friend clings to greenery to live

A man in his late teens has had a luck to escape after being hauled off the side of a cliff, clinging to vegetation like crumbled rock below him.

But his friend was seriously injured after falling 20 meters onto the rocks. The couple was rescued by the Westpac Life Flight rescue helicopter Tuesday night, off a cliff off the Whitireia Park Walkway in Titahi Bay.

Life Flight rescue crewman Mike Beausoleil said they got the call at 6.15pm and arrived to find the man in a “very precarious” position, clinging to a bush on the side of the 100-foot-high cliff.

“He was hanging in a bit of vegetation, and the cliff was very loose, with the loose crumbly soil crumbling underneath him,” he said.

“When our paramedic winched down to him, it was very difficult to get anyone to stand on the cliff, as it crumbles underfoot.

“We had to lift it up with the winch cable to connect it and put the harness on it.”

The winch had been the only option, Beausoleil said, as it was a steep drop into the rocks below.

The man who was lifted from the side of the cliff was “seriously stuck” although he was rescued without injury, but a second person had already fallen.

“He was seriously injured because he fell about 20 meters to the rocks,” he said.

“Free Wellington [ambulance] The staff stabilized him on the rocks, put him in a transport basket and were able to carry him to where the helicopter landed, and then transported him to the hospital by helicopter. “

Wellington Free Ambulance confirmed that the person was taken to Wellington Hospital in serious condition.

Beausoleil said it was unclear how the people had come to be on the cliff side, but they were both lucky that the incident hadn’t been worse.

“We know New Zealand has beautiful outdoor venues and everyone loves to wear them and hang out in nice weather, but we just hope people take care of themselves.”

He said the rescue had been a “great collaboration” between the fire, ambulance and police services and the national air board.