Teenage boy's first act after plummeting 10 metres off cliff
Robert Reeves, 16, was able to stand after the fall as people rushed to help him.
A teenage boy has revealed the first thing he did after surviving a 10-metre fall off a cliff where he "tumbled" to the bottom while hiking with friends on Tuesday afternoon.
Robert Reeves, 16, was at the Old Barrington Quarry in Martin, southeast Perth when he fell to the bottom as rocks flew around him.
"As I was climbing down, all the rocks shot out from under me," he told 9 News. "I fell down and started tumbling and bouncing my way down, all the way down the cliff and into the water."
Robert somehow managed to stand as others rushed to help him, including two members of the public. The first thing he did after tumbling down the rock cliff was look for his phone.
"Many people could have had that exact same thing happen to them and have died, but I'm lucky enough to walk away with minor injuries really," he said.
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Teenager's concern when rescue helicopter arrived
A rescue helicopter arrived on scene and placed him on a stretcher, winching him to safety before rushing him to Royal Perth Hospital for treatment.
"My first thought was, 'How much is that going to cost?'," he laughed. He later expressed his appreciation to those who rescued him. "I'd just like to say thank you. You guys could have saved my life."
His father Steven Reeves said he was panic-stricken when he heard of his son's fall, saying "every possible scenario went through our head". Robert is expected to make a full recovery.
Hiker's warning after Perth cliff fall
The teenager gave a three-word warning after the incident, believing he would have been much worse off if he hadn't had people nearby to assist him.
"Don't go alone," he said. "Don't do what I did, don't go so close to the edge — be with someone you know, you can trust to help you."
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