Abseiler saves life of friend after 40ft plunge into sea

Published on Sunday 20 July 2008 22:01

A FEMALE abseiler saved the life of her companion who had plunged 40ft down a sea cliff, by keeping his head above the water and then dragging him to safety.

The two climbers, who were abseiling down steep cliffs near Staffin in North Skye, held on until a rescue helicopter from Stornoway arrived.

Yesterday, rescue officers praised the woman, an experienced climber, for her "crucial role" in the rescue.

The male climber had been abseiling down the cliffs when his foot caught on a safety rope and he slipped.

He fell to the shore below but was quickly covered by the rising tide.

His partner climbed to the base of the cliff and held his head above the water. As the tide continued to rise over the rocks she hauled him from the sea.

She then tied them both to the face of the cliff to await rescue.

David Smith, watch officer of the Stornoway Coastguard, said helicopter crews had received a distress call at about 4:30pm on Saturday and that the pair had been winched to safety at 5pm.

He said: "As far as we are aware they were both experienced climbers who carried out all the proper procedures."

After the rescue the male climber was taken to Mackinnon Memorial Hospital in Broadford on Skye with a badly broken ankle. The female climber is believed to have been unhurt.