Cliff rescue after Natural Bridge fall
An 18-year-old man is fortunate to be alive after slipping 10m at Albany’s Natural Bridge today.
It is believed he was sight-seeing at the popular tourist spot with his grandfather and brother when he ventured from the designated pathway and slipped on the wet rocks.
The alarm was raised by a tourist who asked to phone emergency authorities at the Little Grove Store at about 7.10am and told store owner Regan Bennett the man was "still conscious but his leg is his a mess and there is blood everywhere".
The State Emergency Service’s vertical rescue team, the RAC Rescue Helicopter, St John Ambulance, police and the Albany Sea Rescue were deployed to the scene.
SES Great Southern district officer Gary Logan said the 18-year-old, who is believed to have a broken leg and hip, was extremely lucky.
Picture: Laurie Benson
"He was in an inaccessible area, the rocks down the bottom were slippery, and it's really hard to get down in that area by foot," he said.
"He was certainly in a lot of pain until paramedics could get to him."
Albany Sea Rescue captain Chris Johns said the vessel was on standby 100m off the coast in case the 18-year-old was dragged into the ocean.
The RAC rescue helicopter lands at the carpark nearby. Picture: Laurie Benson
Mr Johns said the teenager was fortunate to fall where he did as ocean conditions today were dangerous.
"Even though there was no swell, we got slammed going out there," he said.
Rescuers reach the man. Picture: Laurei Benson
"We were noticing from where we were that he was lucky he fell where he did because he seemed to be protected by some rock faces, where if he fell on the other side he definitely would have been dragged in.
"We were quite worried about the vertical rescue crews because if he had of been on the other side they would have been in a perilous situation."
The man has been transported to the Albany Health Campus for treatment.
A rescuer is dwarfed by the size of the Natural Bridge. Picture: Laurie Benson
