COASTGUARD NEWS - WESTERN REGION             

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Western 095/01
3 August 2001

QUAD BIKE DRIVER GOES OVER CLIFF

Milford Haven coastguard was alerted on 2 August 2001 after a 73-year-old voluntary warden went over a 30ft cliff on the quad bike he was driving.

The incident happened on Ramsey Island, off the coast of Pembrokeshire, west Wales.


Quad Bike
A passer-by raised the alarm and coastguards scrambled a rescue helicopter from RAF Chivenor in Devon. Locals pulled the man from the water on to a boat from where he was airlifted to hospital.

The Pembrokeshire man was taken to Withybush Hospital in Haverford West with suspected spinal injuries.

Milford Haven coastguard watch manager Andrew Hodgson said: "This gentleman is lucky to have survived such a fall, we don't recommend anyone rides bikes, motorised or other wise too close to cliff edges.

"I must praise the excellent co-ordination between the rescue crews involved today as the rescue was a delicate one due to the suspected nature of the injuries this man sustained in the fall."