Stuck Climber Recovered on Sunday Night

The pagers sounded around 9.15pm on Sunday evening as the team was tasked to climber stuck at the bottom of the cliffs in the Boulder Ruckle area, several hundred metres West of the lighthouse.

Two climbers were involved, and the climber's buddy at the top had attempted to devise a number of solutions himself in order to try and recover his friend who, although totally uninjured, was unable to make his way out.  In the end he decided seek help and used the yellow 999 phone attached to the lighthouse to speak directly to HM Coastguard.  This telephone has no dial and on activation it rings immediately at the HM Coastguard National Maritime Operations Centre.

The team drove as near as was practical and walked in the rest of the way

The team, along with our flank colleagues from St Albans, soon met up with the buddy at the climb location having carried the rope rescue equipment some distance along the coast path and a cliff technician was deployed over the edge to get 'eyes on'.  By now it was dark, and unable to see the casualty and his surrounding terrain clearly, the Swanage Lifeboat was requested to attend to provide illumination and advice from below regarding the best route to approach.

Swanage Lifeboats illuminate the scene

Once on scene, it became clear that the casualty was much nearer the water line than had first been understood, and so it was agreed that the climber should be recovered from his position on a ledge at sea level onto the inshore lifeboat and from there to the Shannon for the journey back to Swanage.

The Coastguard Team remained in postion and monitored the second climber whilst he collected the pair's equipment together and made his way back to the cliff top.

Coastguard Teams stood by with rope rescue kit rigged and ready until the climber's buddy was safely back at the top

Once everyone was accounted for, the pair were reunited with each other and with their car and the team returned to station shortly before midnight.